Opposition leaders urged the government and protesters in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to resolve their differences through dialogue, warning that failure to restore peace could deepen divisions and damage Pakistan's international standing, 24NewsHD TV reported on Saturday.
Addressing a joint press conference, national assembly opposition leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan ameer Hafiz Naeem Ur Rehman, PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan, and politician Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar said the situation in AJK was a matter of concern for every Pakistani and had been discussed in detail during their meeting.
National assembly opposition leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai has said Pakistan's constitution guarantees citizens the right to peaceful protest, urging all stakeholders to address the country's current situation and resolve differences through dialogue.
Achakzai said he did not know whether Pakistan had "fallen victim to bad luck" or whether its current challenges were the result of its own shortcomings.
He said a clear gap had emerged between the government and the AJK Joint Action Committee, stressing that efforts should be made to bridge the divide through meaningful engagement.
Achakzai said it was important to understand why the people of AJK had reached such a critical point instead of ignoring the underlying issues.
"We will do whatever we can," he said, while expressing support for efforts aimed at finding a peaceful solution.
Achakzai also called for national introspection, saying that everyone, from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to the military leadership and other state institutions, should acknowledge past mistakes and seek a way forward through reconciliation and corrective measures.
Hafiz Naeem Ur Rehman said his party was ready to act as a mediator between the government and the Joint Action Committee, adding that mediation could only succeed if both sides agreed to the process.
"It was our responsibility to play a role for the sake of Pakistan and Kashmir," he said, while expressing regret that the government's response had not produced positive results.
Hafiz Naeem stressed that any negotiations should take place within the framework of Pakistan's Constitution and laws. He warned that if peace was not given a chance, the resulting divisions could become impossible to bridge.
He also said public anger grows when people's democratic mandate is not respected, adding that all stakeholders had, at different times, benefited from the prevailing political situation.
He held that efforts should focus on addressing the root causes of the crisis rather than merely its consequences.
Speaking on the occasion, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar said the deteriorating situation in AJK had caused concern across Pakistan.
He alleged that the political process in the region had been undermined and claimed that if elections were held today, the ruling parties would struggle to secure public confidence.
Khokhar criticised the use of the 12 reserved refugee seats in government formation and referred to recent statements by Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, saying such remarks had further inflamed tensions.
He warned that if the situation spiralled out of control, Pakistan's diplomatic position on the Kashmir issue could suffer internationally.
Khokhar also welcomed Jamaat-e-Islami's efforts to facilitate dialogue between the parties.