PPP AJK seeks withdrawal of election schedule for migrant seats amid rising tensions

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in Azad Jammu and Kashmir has urged the Election Commission to withdraw the election schedule for 12 migrant seats, arguing that announcing the polls shortly before a planned protest was ill-timed.

The demand follows growing tensions over a call by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) for mass demonstrations against the 12 Legislative Assembly seats reserved for refugees from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir living in mainland Pakistan.

Speaking at a press conference after a core committee meeting, PPP AJK President Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin criticized the Election Commission’s decision to announce elections on June 5, saying the move came just days before the scheduled protests and could worsen the situation.

Yasin said the current environment was not conducive to holding elections and called on the commission to reconsider the schedule and continue consultations with stakeholders.

He emphasized that the PPP opposes confrontation and political conflict, adding that Yasin also cautioned that instability in the region could be exploited by hostile forces.

“Any instability in the region could be used by hostile elements, particularly India, which is why all stakeholders must act responsibly,” he warned.

He said dialogue and political consensus remained the only viable way forward. “Dialogue and consensus are essential to reduce tensions and address the challenges facing the region,” he added.

The PPP leader said the party’s politics had always centred on the Kashmir cause, crediting PPP founders for elevating the issue internationally.

He said that over the past seven months, efforts had been made to resolve public issues and strengthen the democratic system, adding that 37 out of 38 demands of the Awami Action Committee had been implemented, while only the constitutional matter of migrant seats remained under consideration.

He further said that all sides had shown a positive response during negotiations, adding that only a one-week extension had been requested from the Awami Action Committee, which was not accepted.

He said essential food shortages were emerging in Azad Kashmir, warning that the region was facing uncertainty and instability.protecting human lives should take precedence over electoral matters. “Twelve seats are not more important than human lives,” he said.