MUZAFFARABAD:
Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore on Friday said his government has no intention of triggering a confrontation with the Awami Joint Action Committee (JAAC).
“Our government has implemented 75 percent of the 39-point agreement signed with the JAAC,” he said, adding that public frustration has reduced significantly since his government took office.
Addressing a press conference at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, Rathore said the government was formed on November 11 and in just one and a half months, large public rallies were organized in two divisions of AJK, helping to restore public confidence in the political system.
The agreement with the JAAC was signed on October 4, 2025, while the current government took office on November 11. Since then, the Prime Minister said, public frustration has reduced considerably and the doors of the Secretariat and the Prime Minister’s Office have remained open to the public.
“We know that the last two and a half years of government have created a rift between the people and the leadership, but now there is unrest within AJK.”
The Prime Minister said the government had re-established direct engagement with the people in a very short period of time, adding that the large public gatherings across AJK reflected a positive response from the public and strengthened confidence in the political system. “The people have taken ownership of the government,” he said.
Rathore further said that implementation of the JAAC agreement was the top priority of the government and despite a three-month delay, most of the items were finalized in just one and a half months.
He said the resolution of public issues had revived political activity in AJK, adding that the current administration had restored connectivity between the government and the people.
He stressed that decisions in the public interest were taken without delay, pointing out that important public-oriented measures were approved during the fifth meeting of the Council of Ministers and the Assembly session. “Our goal is not political competition, but solving public problems,” he said.
Rathore stressed that restoring public trust remains the government’s top priority. He added that the PPP believes in resolving issues through dialogue and will not allow chaos or loss of lives. “There is no room for any kind of adventurism on the part of the government or the JAAC,” he said.
He stressed the need for joint efforts to develop AJK as a tourism and information technology hub.
Replying to a question, the Prime Minister said the Chief Election Commissioner and a senior member of the AJK Election Commission would be appointed next month to ensure timely elections, scheduled for July 2026.
