Political and religious parties in Azad Jammu and Kashmir reaffirmed support for holding legislative assembly elections on schedule and called for any constitutional reforms to be pursued through elected institutions, while the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC) boycotted the all-parties consultative meeting convened by the AJK government.
The meeting, chaired by AJK Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore at the Prime Minister’s House in Muzaffarabad, brought together leaders of various political and religious parties to discuss the political situation, constitutional issues and the future electoral process in AJK.
In a joint resolution adopted unanimously, participants reiterated support for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions and condemned what they described as ongoing human rights violations by Indian forces in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The resolution also denounced the detention of pro-independence leaders and political activists and criticised alleged Indian efforts to alter the demographic composition of the disputed region.
The meeting stressed the importance of preserving democratic continuity and constitutional governance in AJK, describing democratic institutions as the foundation of political stability in the territory.
Participants said that political disagreement was a legitimate feature of democracy but should not be used to undermine governance structures or state institutions.
They called on political, social and public groups to promote dialogue, tolerance and peaceful political engagement.
