Agreement Halts Protests in AJK, But Questions of Trust Remain
MUZAFFARABAD - After days of violent unrest and deadly clashes in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), the federal government of Pakistan and the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) signed an agreement late Friday night, bringing a fragile calm to the territory. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed the development as proof that "all issues have been resolved amicably," though many Kashmiris remain wary, recalling a history of unkept promises.
The deal followed marathon talks in Muzaffarabad between a high-level federal delegation and JKJAAC leaders, who have spearheaded months of protests against privileges for political elites and special seats reserved for refugees from Indian-administered Kashmir. The demonstrations, which began peacefully, escalated into fierce street battles last week, leaving at least 10 people dead and dozens injured. Roads were blockaded, businesses shuttered, and AJK slipped into a communications blackout, deepening the crisis.
The agreement outlines compensation for families of those killed or injured, including government jobs and financial aid, and pledges judicial inquiries into the violence. It also commits to reviewing demands long voiced by the JKJAAC part of a 38-point charter presented months ago. Yet skepticism runs deep. Many recall that in December last year, similar commitments were signed, only to be shelved quietly once the protests subsided.
For many Kashmiris, this cycle is familiar: promises made under duress, but rarely implemented once the streets grow quiet. "The people are told their demands are accepted, but the file is put away until the next crisis," one civil society observer in Muzaffarabad remarked. "The politics of delay has become the politics of denial."
Critics also point to the negative role of AJK's own political class, which has often aligned with federal interests rather than those of their constituents. Local politicians, observers say, tend to exploit moments of unrest to strengthen their personal bargaining power with Islamabad, leaving ordinary Kashmiris caught between elite maneuvering and unfulfilled reforms.
While federal ministers celebrated the agreement as a "victory of peace," the JKJAAC itself has not framed the outcome as a resolution. Leaders signaled that they will monitor implementation closely. Should the government fail to act in good faith, the movement warns it will not hesitate to return to the streets. "This is not the end," said one JKJAAC representative. "It is only the suspension of protest for now."
For residents of AJK, the calm is welcome but fragile. Behind closed shutters and quiet streets, there lingers an uneasy question: will this accord bring real change, or will it, like so many before, be quietly buried in the archives of unfulfilled promises?
Only time will tell whether the agreement marks a turning point in Kashmir's governance; or the prelude to another cycle of unrest.