• Decides to place issue of refugees before assembly following upcoming elections
• Backs ‘transparent and impartial’ polls
• JAAC chooses not to attend conference

MUZAFFARABAD: A multiparty conference (MPC) convened by the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government on Wednesday reaffirmed support for holding the upcoming Legislative Assembly elections on schedule and declared that any constitutional reforms should be undertaken through the elected assembly following broad-based consultations with all stakeholders.

However, the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) declined to attend the event.

In a unanimously adopted resolution, the participants stressed that the general elections to the AJK Legislative Assembly should be held within the constitutionally prescribed timeframe and called for all necessary administrative, legal and security measures to ensure free, fair, transparent, impartial and peaceful polling.

The conference, held at the Prime Minister’s House, was attended by AJK Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, ruling PPP AJK President Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin, Leader of the Opposition and PML-N AJK President Shah Ghulam Qadir, PML-N General Secretary Chaudhry Tariq Farooq, former premiers Raja Farooq Haider and Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan, former presidents Sardar Masood Khan and Sardar Yaqoob Khan, leaders of several political and religious parties, cabinet members and refugee lawmakers Abdul Majid Khan and Ahmed Raza Qadri.

JAAC refuses to attend

The event began later than scheduled after PM Rathore drove to the residence of Amjad Ali Khan, a core member of the JAAC, to personally invite him to attend the meeting as a stakeholder. Some other JAAC leaders were also present there, but they declined the invitation.

The PTI, according to its spokesperson, was not invited, although its regional president and former prime minister, Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi, was invited in his capacity as a former premier.

Niazi did not attend, accusing the ruling PPP and opposition PML-N of adopting an ambiguous position on the issue of refugee seats. He called for “meaningful talks for implementation of the agreement with JAAC” and warned against the use of force against the people.

Several participants addressed the conference, after which the resolution was drafted by PML-N AJK chief Shah Ghulam Qadir and Senior Minister Mian Abdul Waheed in consultation with other participants.

The resolution maintained that constitutional reforms fell within the exclusive mandate of the people’s elected representatives and should therefore be left to the Legislative Assembly. However, it said any such exercise should be preceded by a broad consultative process involving political parties, bar associations, the bar council, civil society organisations and constitutional experts.

Refugees issue

Addressing the contentious issue that has recently sparked political debate, the participants recognised the representation of Jammu and Kashmir refugees residing in Pakistan as a historical and constitutional reality. At the same time, they noted that electoral and procedural issues relating to the existing arrangement could be addressed through constitutional reforms carried out by the Legislative Assembly.

The conference also expressed concern over Indian attempts to exploit social media and organised propaganda campaigns to create mistrust between state institutions and democratic structures in AJK. It reaffirmed support for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination under United Nations resolutions and condemned human rights violations in India-held Kashmir.

Talking to reporters after the conference, PM Rathore confirmed his visit to the residence of the JAAC leader and said the government had addressed issues in accordance with its agreement with the committee.

“We sought additional time from them, but they were not willing to extend it even by a week. It seems that even if the refugee seats are abolished, the committee would still want to shut down the state,” he added.

He clarified that no decision had been taken to stop JAAC by force. “We [still] want to resolve issues through dialogue,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2026