FO warns British diaspora against interference in Pakistan, AJK affairs amid unrest

The Foreign Office (FO) on Monday rejected what it termed “irresponsible and ill-informed insinuations” made by some members of the diaspora in the United Kingdom regarding Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), amid unrest in the territory.

The statement followed deadly clashes in Rawalakot, AJK, where the recently banned Awami Joint Action Committee (JAAC) staged a sit-in outside CMH Rawalakot 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.

The British Parliament’s all-party parliamentary group on Kashmir on Saturday wrote a letter to the Foreign Secretary signed by 31 lawmakers, expressing concern over the issue and calling for intervention. Meanwhile, overseas Pakistanis and Kashmiris have also criticized the ongoing events.

In a strongly worded statement issued today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said such diaspora individuals are advised to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of Pakistan and AJK, adding that they “would do well to contribute positively to their country of residence.”

The press release also mentions “unjustified remarks and questions” made by certain British MPs, believing that they reflect “a lack of awareness and a disregard for the historical context of the question”.

He adds: “For those still living in the colonial era, it is worth reiterating that Pakistan is a sovereign, democratic republic that strongly believes in non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries and expects the same from others. »

FO said the governments of Pakistan and AJK “fully recognize and respect the constitutional rights of citizens to peaceful assembly, freedom of expression and democratic participation.”

However, he stressed that “vandalism, destruction of public services, including hospitals, and the killing of innocent civilians and law enforcement officials cannot under any circumstances be allowed.”

He further urged the British government to “educate and warn those who support banned organizations to refrain from such actions” and respect “the democratic process, judicial decisions and the rule of law as enshrined in the Constitutions of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan”.

Read: AJK Police say 3 JAAC personnel killed in Rawalakot clashes, several injured

According to the AJK police, three individuals linked to the JAAC and four law enforcement personnel were killed during Sunday’s protests. The JAAC, however, said in a statement on

Sunday’s clash came as the AJK government and JAAC witnessed a face-off, with the election date for AJK announced for July 27.

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.

Learn more: Four policemen martyred, over 20 injured in Rawalakot shooting: AJK Police

The unrest also sparked political upheaval in the region. The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) subsequently proposed a resolution of no confidence in then Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq, with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) joining the effort. Haq, elected in April 2023 with 48 votes, chose to face the vote rather than resign.

On 17 November, Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore received 36 votes in the elections and became the 16th Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

With elections approaching and the refugee seat issue still unresolved, the AJK government has convened an All Party Conference (APC) in Muzaffarabad to reach a consensus. Almost all major parties were present – ​​except the PTI and JAAC, which boycotted it.

The JAAC’s position is that the government had already rejected its written proposals submitted on May 30 and therefore there would be no point in attending. He had proposed either maintaining token representation of refugees until the Kashmir conflict is finally resolved or replacing the 12 seats in the Assembly with 4 seats in the AJK Council – a body chaired by the Prime Minister, which he said would better preserve the political dimension of the Kashmir cause.

The APC rejected any changes outside the constitutional and legislative framework, saying only the elected assembly could change the distribution of refugee seats. The JAAC called the resolution “a page and a half of utterly trivial lines” and accused participants of coming together to serve their own interests rather than those of the public.

The JAAC called a major demonstration on June 9 in Muzaffarabad, with caravans converging from across the region.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Sunday rejected claims that the JAAC agreement was not being implemented and said the government had fulfilled the vast majority of its commitments in AJK.

The minister warned against attempts to create unrest in AJK and questioned whether such actions served the interests of Pakistan, AJK or the larger Kashmir cause. “The solution to these problems is not violence,” he said, adding: “The solution is dialogue. We cannot allow public order to deteriorate or innocent lives to be lost.”