JAAC Pauses PoK ‘Long March’ After Talks, Sets July 21 Deadline for Pak Govt
Negotiations halt the march temporarily as protesters await action on key demands
New Delhi: The Kashmiris in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), led by leaders of Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), on Wednesday announced a pause in their protest-cum-uprising after lengthy negotiations with the Pakistani government. The protesters have given Pak government time till July 21 to implement their charter of demands, which includes proper autonomy, better electoral representation, facilities, development, release of all arrested and handover of dead bodies of the people killed in police firing.
The JAAC has threatened that if their demands are not accepted by the given time, their “Long March” to Muzaffarabad, capital of PoK will resume from July 22.
The protestors underlined that all ongoing sit-ins will continue as before, and the public struggle will persist. JAAC said it is expected that between July 15 to July 21 the atmosphere will remain peaceful and there will be no crackdown by Pak forces.
On Wednesday, highways remained blocked, and roads remains choked as Kashmiris in PoK held a 'Long March’ towards Muzaffarabad to protest against police brutality and press for demands and negotiations with administration. Thousands locked their houses and participated in the march, which was one of the biggest movements in Kashmir in recent times.
With such a massive movement threatening Pak security system, the Pak government swung into action and held a round of talks with the representatives of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). A delegation, reportedly led by former Prime Minister of Pakistan Raja Pervez Ashraf, arrived from Muzaffarabad in Rawalakot for talks with representatives of the JAAC.
In the wake of ensuing assembly elections in the region, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is camping in Muzaffarabad. Both Bilawal Bhutto and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman are reported to be facilitating negotiations between Pak administrations and JAAC.
According to Pak media house Samnaa TV, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has proposed the formation of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to address the ongoing crisis in PoK and urged all stakeholders to pursue dialogue instead of confrontation.
According to Samnaa TV, Bilawal said inappropriate statements had worsened the crisis in AJK and stressed that issues concerning Kashmir should be resolved through consultation with the people of the region.
Bilawal added that reforms were needed to safeguard the economic, administrative and political rights of the people of AJK, adding that a constitutional convention could be convened after the upcoming AJK elections. He also called for a decision regarding the region's reserves and reiterated that constitutional amendments could not be imposed through force. "No constitutional amendment can be made at gunpoint or through coercion," Samnaa TV quoted Bilawal as saying.
Calling out Pak deception and atrocities, Sardar Aman Khan of JAAC said, “Yeh (PoK) disputed territory nahi hai.. mutanaja ilaka nahi hai… ye ‘Maqbooza’ ilaka hai. Is par Kabza hai." (This (PoK) is not a disputed territory… it is an 'Occupied Territory'. It is under illegal occupation) amid claps and applause from more than 80,000 people present at the Eidgah ground in Rawalakot. He asserted that the Kashmiris will go to any extent to protect their homeland.