'Remove The Ban': JAAC Sets Conditions For Talks With Pakistan Authorities As PoK Unrest Intensifies

Amid escalating unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) has said it remains open to negotiations with authorities but has laid down a series of preconditions before any dialogue can resume.

The latest statement comes as tensions continue to rise across PoK following a sweeping crackdown by Pakistani authorities on JAAC-led protests. The movement, which has emerged as one of the most significant public mobilisations in the region in recent years, has accused the administration of using force to suppress dissent. The protests, initially centred on governance and political representation issues, have expanded into a wider confrontation between the movement and the state. Authorities recently

declared JAAC a proscribed organisation under anti-terrorism laws, a move the group has strongly rejected.

In its latest message, JAAC said that despite repeated instances of what it described as betrayal of previous agreements, it had not shut the door on negotiations.

“Even after being repeatedly deceived regarding agreements, we have not closed the doors to negotiations,” the committee said, while stressing that its movement would continue according to its own strategic planning.

The organisation reiterated that it remains committed to non-violent methods despite the ongoing confrontation.

“Despite the brutality of the forces, we remain peaceful. These oppressive and tyrannical forces, driven by their own greed, have devastated numerous families, yet we continue to preach the lesson of peace,” the statement said.

However, JAAC made it clear that any future talks would depend on a number of conditions being met first.

Foremost among them is the withdrawal of the notification declaring the organisation banned. “Before any negotiations, cancel the notification that declares us banned,” the committee said.

The group has also demanded the withdrawal of security personnel deployed across the region, specifically calling for the removal of the Frontier Constabulary (FC), Punjab Constabulary/Police (PC), and Rangers from protest-hit areas.

In addition, JAAC has demanded that the bodies of those killed during the recent unrest be handed over to their families and that adequate medical treatment be provided to those injured in the clashes.

The committee further insisted that authorities first implement the remaining recommendations agreed upon by a previously constituted sub-committee before discussions can proceed.

The demands come against the backdrop of a worsening crisis in PoK. Violent clashes between protesters and security forces in recent days have left multiple people dead and hundreds injured, while authorities have launched arrests, imposed restrictions and announced rewards for information leading to the capture of key JAAC leaders. Protest marches, shutdowns and demonstrations have continued across several towns, including Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Mirpur, Kotli and Bhimber, underscoring the scale of the unrest.

While PoK Prime Minister Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore has repeatedly appealed to JAAC to return to the negotiating table, the committee’s latest statement indicates that meaningful talks remain unlikely unless its key demands are addressed first.