Raised temperatures

THE fraught situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir requires immense patience and cool heads. Temperatures are raised on both sides of the political divide, making it all the more important to measure words and avoid any public messaging that may exacerbate tensions rather than heal wounds. This applies equally to both sides in the brewing dispute over the territory’s political future. The AJK government issued rather stern messages to the recently proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee on Tuesday, holding it responsible for the recent deaths and violence, vowing to pursue legal action against it and reiterating that there would be no ‘blanket amnesty’ extended to its leaders. It is understandable that the government is frustrated at the lack of cooperation shown by the JAAC, especially after reportedly offering it various avenues for discussions on the deadlock over the disputed Legislative Assembly seats and being spurned by the coalition. But while the government’s position against offering blanket amnesty may be justified, especially in light of the loss of life and property, it should also avoid giving the impression that it may be seeking collective punishment of anyone associated with what is, in essence, a civil society coalition. A hard approach would be self-defeating. It will merely signal to the JAAC and those sympathetic to it that there is no room for dialogue with the authorities. Instead, the government should consider insisting on transparent investigations and full prosecution under the law of anyone found responsible for the loss of life and damage to property, while leaving the door open to those still not averse to dialogue.

The JAAC, too, needs to publicly eschew violence and any populist messaging that suggests that it may be turning the public against the state or seeking to undermine the overall security of AJK. Political objectives can be achieved with peaceful means and through a deliberative process, under which it engages with other stakeholders and addresses their concerns. Confrontation and agitation just for the sake of demonstrating street power, especially in a region as sensitive as AJK, is both unproductive and perilous; it will not yield tangible results without exacting immense human costs. Both sides should rethink their approach, show flexibility, and work to resolve their issues through sensible politics and negotiation. Confrontation and retribution will not yield any positive outcomes.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2026

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