The party says the decision reflects its solidarity with Kashmiris and its principled stand amid ongoing unrest in AJK
The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday announced that it would not contest the upcoming elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), saying the decision was taken in solidarity with the people of the region and in line with what it described as its “principled stand” in the current circumstances.
The announcement comes as the situation in AJK remains tense after the government banned the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), with the group continuing its sit-in and vowing to continue the protest until its “legitimate demands” are met.
“Expressing its unwavering solidarity with the aspirations of the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, their right to self-determination and their democratic rights, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has decided not to participate in the elections under the current circumstances,” the party’s central information secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said in a statement published on X.
He said the decision was not a political strategy but an expression of solidarity with the Kashmiri people and a principled stand.
The PTI said AJK was going through a “grave crisis”, saying thousands of people in Rawalakot and other areas were staging sit-ins in support of what it described as their legitimate demands.
The party claimed that several people had lost their lives following the use of force by the authorities and claimed that the supply of essential goods from Punjab to AJK had been completely disrupted, causing hardship to residents.
“Instead of pushing the Kashmiri people towards further political instability under such circumstances, their problems should be resolved immediately and fairly,” the statement said.
Read: AJK Police arrest JAAC leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir amid sit-in
The PTI further claimed that the current situation was damaging the constitutional, democratic and political identity of AJK and creating an environment that was eroding what it described as the distinction between AJK and Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The party also said that this approach was detrimental to Pakistan’s historic Kashmir policy.
According to the statement, the electoral process could not be considered credible when, it said, representative voices were suppressed, political activists faced action, leaders were arrested, restrictions on media were in place and freedom of expression was curtailed.
“Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf will not engage in power politics by ignoring the voice of the Kashmiri people. Our first priority is to support the fundamental rights of the Kashmiri people, their democratic demands and a politics based on justice. We will stand with the people and not participate in elections.
The party said it would not contest the elections until the situation returns to normal, concerns raised by political and public stakeholders have been addressed, the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) issues have been resolved through mutual understanding, the election calendar has been revised and all political parties have enjoyed what it described as a truly free and fair playing field.
The PTI said its political campaign would instead focus on defending the democratic rights of the Kashmiri people, supporting their demands and seeking what it called a just resolution of the JAAC’s demands.
The party also announced immediate suspension of all recommendations made by the AJK Parliamentary Council regarding allocation of party tickets to candidates.
Read also: TTAP says police arrested AJK-bound delegation
He said no further progress would be made on ticket issuance or at any stage of the electoral process until the situation normalizes, the political environment is restored and the party takes further decisions.
“This decision of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has not been taken on the basis of any calculation of political gain or loss but in accordance with the expression of solidarity with the Kashmiri people, respect for democratic values and the demands of principled politics. Until a free, fair and peaceful political environment is ensured for the Kashmiri people, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf will not participate in this electoral process.”
Background
The recent unrest and deadly clashes broke out in certain areas, notably in Rawalakot, where the JAAC had organized a sit-in in front of the Rawalakot Combined Military Hospital. AJK police say armed JAAC members opened fire on security forces deployed during a planned attack, leaving four people dead and around 20 injured. The JAAC, however, disputes this version, saying that security forces used tear gas and fired shells towards the hospital.
According to the AJK Police, three individuals linked to the JAAC and four law enforcement personnel were killed during the protests. The JAAC, however, said in a statement that seven people were killed and dozens injured when street shootings took place in the dark after the electricity was reportedly cut off.
The clash occurred as the AJK government and JAAC witnessed a face-off with the election date for AJK being announced for July 27.
Learn more: Some elements seeking to create instability within AJK despite repeated offers for dialogue: Rana Sanaullah
The 53-member AJK Legislative Assembly has 12 seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees, people who fled Indian-controlled Kashmir in 1947 and 1965 and are now scattered across Pakistan. Six seats represent refugees from the Jammu division (~434,000 people) and six from the Kashmir Valley (~30,000 people) – an already lopsided arrangement that many see as unfair.
The region experienced one of its most turbulent periods in October last year, when JAAC-led protests erupted demanding constitutional and governance reforms. At least nine people, including three police officers, were killed during the unrest.
The JAAC, which organized the protests and strike, had presented a broad charter of demands, including an end to the privileges enjoyed by the ruling elite, the removal of 12 assembly seats reserved for refugees and the abolition of the quota system.
Two days after the violence, the government and the JAAC reached an agreement on 12 basic points and 13 additional points. Under the agreement, both sides agreed to constitute a high-level committee to look into the issue of refugee seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly.
