Former Azad Jammu and Kashmir prime minister Raja Muhammad Farooq Haider Khan has appealed to the authorities to intervene at once to stop the bloodshed in Rawalakot, as Rawalakot unrest grips the city.
Haider, a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader, posted his appeal on X on November 6. “I appeal to the concerned quarters to intervene to stop the bloodshed in Rawalakot before it is too late,” he wrote.
Rawalakot is facing unrest amid alleged clashes between security forces and supporters of the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee, a rights group known as the JAAC. Casualties have been reported, though no official toll has been released.
Rights body voices deep concern
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said it was deeply concerned by reports of a fresh spell of violence in Rawalakot, with allegations of casualties among both protesters and law enforcement personnel.
The Commission pointed to its fact-finding mission to Azad Kashmir in August. It repeated its call for the federal and Azad Kashmir governments to stop the situation from getting worse and to start a meaningful dialogue to address citizens’ concerns.
It also said the media must be given unhindered access to report from the region independently. “The priority must be to prevent any loss of life and resolve the situation through political dialogue rather than by force,” the Commission said.
Weapons licences ordered to be registered
On Thursday, the Azad Kashmir government directed all weapon licence holders in the region to register their licences at the nearest police stations within 10 days. It warned that unregistered licences would be treated as cancelled.
The Azad Kashmir Home Department issued the notification, and President Dr Najeeb Naqi approved the measure in the interest of public safety and the maintenance of law and order. The order is covered in detail in our earlier report on the registration deadline for Azad Kashmir gun owners.
A protest movement that turned into a standoff
The unrest in Azad Kashmir stems from a long protest movement led by the JAAC. The group has pressed for constitutional and governance reforms, including the abolition of 12 refugee-reserved seats in the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly, an end to privileges for the political elite and changes to the quota system. The region’s political history runs deep, and its people mark Jammu Martyrs Day each year in memory of the 1947 killings.
Tensions rose sharply after the Azad Kashmir government proscribed the JAAC on June 6, ahead of a planned long march and protest on June 9. The government said 35 of the committee’s 38 demands had been accepted or implemented, yet the group had allegedly turned to a series of violent attacks on state-backed personnel and assets.
The proscription notification stated: “The Government of AJ&K has reasonable grounds to believe that Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JK-JAAC), also known by the names Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) and Awami Action Committee (AAC), is engaged in terrorism.”
FIRs, clashes and a new government
On June 11, the government reinstated 177 first information reports against JAAC members. The move withdrew concessions granted under an agreement reached on October 4, 2025. The authorities accused the committee of breaking that agreement by returning to street protests.
The situation worsened in July, when clashes between protesters and law enforcement personnel in Rawalakot resulted in casualties. The rights commission then called for an independent investigation, as the two sides gave conflicting accounts of what had happened.
In August, the PML-N formed a government in the region after winning a majority in the Azad Kashmir elections. Barrister Syed Iftikhar Ali Gilani was elected prime minister. Even so, tensions have persisted, with protests and clashes reported in Rawalakot and Muzaffarabad.
What happens next in the Rawalakot unrest
Haider’s appeal adds a senior political voice to the calls for restraint. As a former prime minister of the region and a leader of the party now in government there, his words carry weight on both sides of the dispute.
The immediate question is whether the authorities will open a dialogue with the protesters, as the rights commission has urged, or rely on enforcement measures such as the weapons licence order. The commission has also pressed for independent media access, so that the facts of the clashes can be reported without relying on either side’s account.
The Express Tribune noted that it could not independently verify the claims about the fresh violence. That gap is itself part of the problem: with access limited, rumour fills the space where verified reporting should stand.
Frequently asked questions
Who appealed for intervention in Rawalakot?
Former Azad Kashmir prime minister Raja Muhammad Farooq Haider Khan appealed on X on November 6, asking the concerned quarters to intervene to stop the bloodshed before it is too late.
What is the JAAC?
The Joint Awami Action Committee is a rights group that has led a protest movement in Azad Kashmir for constitutional and governance reforms. The Azad Kashmir government proscribed it on June 6.
What has the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said?
It said it was deeply concerned by reports of fresh violence with alleged casualties on both sides, and it called for dialogue, unhindered media access and a political solution rather than force.
What are the protesters demanding?
The movement seeks reforms including the abolition of 12 refugee-reserved seats in the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly, an end to privileges for the political elite and changes to the quota system.
