MUZAFFARABAD (Dunya News) – The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government has reaffirmed that the upcoming Legislative Assembly elections will be held according to schedule, while describing the activities of the banned Awami Action Committee as unacceptable.
Addressing a joint press conference alongside the AJK Police spokesperson, government spokesperson Chaudhry Guftar Hussain said both the AJK and Pakistan governments had consistently prioritised dialogue, reconciliation and the peaceful resolution of public issues. However, he said the committee had been declared a banned organisation under the law due to what he described as anti-state activities.
He said that under an agreement reached on October 4, 2025, the government had accepted 38 demands of the then Awami Action Committee in the broader public interest. According to the spokesperson, the group later shifted its focus from public rights to activities allegedly aimed against the state.
Guftar Hussain said a sit-in continuing for the past 36 days had severely disrupted the supply of food, medicines and other essential goods across the Poonch Division. He added that the closure of highways and link roads had restricted public movement and led to shortages of basic necessities in several areas.
The spokesperson said it was the constitutional and moral responsibility of the government to restore blocked roads for the welfare of the public. He alleged that authorities faced resistance and gunfire during attempts to reopen highways.
He claimed that security personnel and a bulldozer operator were injured in separate firing incidents in Shujaabad and Arja Jhandaala. He also alleged that trucks transporting food supplies were attacked, looted and had fuel siphoned off.
The government further alleged that women and children had been used as human shields during protests, claiming they were positioned at the front carrying copies of the Holy Quran and white flags. The spokesperson described the alleged practice as contrary to religious sanctity and Islamic teachings.
Guftar Hussain also criticised the banned committee's reported appeal for students to participate in protests on July 14 and a long march on July 15 while wearing school uniforms. He warned that the organisation would bear full responsibility for any untoward incidents.
Reaffirming the government's position, the spokesperson said elections to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly would be conducted in line with the announced election schedule. He added that there was no possibility of postponement or changes to the electoral timetable, and that all administrative and security arrangements had been finalised to ensure free, fair and peaceful polls.
Note: The allegations against the banned Awami Action Committee were made by the AJK government spokesperson during the press conference. The committee's response was not included in the statement.