Key Takeaways
- Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Nawaz Sharif visit regions amid ongoing protests.
- Efforts to defuse tensions include engagement with the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).
- Overseas Pakistanis Foundation Chairman meets JAAC leaders to promote peaceful resolution.
Political strategies in preparation for upcoming elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir are focusing on engaging with the region’s main malcontents, particularly the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).
Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, leader of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), recently visited Muzaffarabad where he met with political bigwigs including AJK Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore. This visit is seen as an attempt by the PPP to position itself as a key player in AJK politics.
Nawaz Sharif, leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), is scheduled to address an election rally in Mirpur tomorrow, further indicating his party’s commitment to the region.
The engagement with JAAC protesters comes against the backdrop of weeks of protests and unrest over their demand for the abolition of refugee seats in AJK's legislature. These visits are also meant to supplement the political parties' election campaigns.
In a related development, the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) Chairman Syed Qamar Raza led a delegation that met with JAAC leaders in Rawalakot on Wednesday as part of what was described as a ‘backchannel attempt’ to engage with the proscribed outfit. Although there were no official statements about the meeting, Qamar confirmed it as a personal initiative aimed at persuading the group to abandon violence.
Qamar stated, 'As Chairman of the Overseas Pakistani Foundation, who has [the] welfare of the Pakistani diaspora at his heart, and mitigation of their concerns, whether real or imaginary, as my first priority, I made contact with JAAC in order to convince them to turn back from violence.'
The engagement efforts are part of broader attempts to defuse tensions in AJK. A JAAC leader publicly thanked Qamar and Field Marshal Asim Munir for understanding the grievances of the people of Kashmir.
These developments highlight the ongoing efforts by political leaders to address the concerns of the region’s inhabitants and ensure a peaceful electoral process.
'As Chairman of the Overseas Pakistani Foundation, who has [the] welfare of the Pakistani diaspora at his heart, and mitigation of their concerns, whether real or imaginary, as my first priority, I made contact with JAAC in order to convince them to turn back from violence.'
Syed Qamar Raza, Chairman of the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation
