Background of the PoK Protests
The protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) surged in intensity after a 38-point charter was tabled by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC). The strike, which began on September 29, escalated into violent clashes that claimed lives and left hundreds injured, including civilians and police personnel. In a bid to avert further bloodshed and restore order, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif dispatched a high-powered delegation to Muzaffarabad. The mission, led by former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, engaged in two days of intensive negotiations with protest leaders and remained in close contact with security and civil authorities. The talks culminated in an agreement that the government described as a step toward peace and stabilisation in the region.
What the Agreement Entails
Pakistan’s minister for parliamentary affairs, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, announced that the negotiations produced a detailed agreement and that the protesters would return home as roads reopened. The final document contains 25 points and aims to address both immediate relief and longer-term governance concerns. Among the core provisions are compensation for those killed during the violence and the registration of cases involving terrorism, vandalism, and deaths of police personnel and protesters. The agreement signals a shift from confrontation to structured response, with mechanisms for accountability and reparations foregrounded.
Key Provisions and Immediate Steps
Several immediate steps were outlined to calm unrest and begin reconstruction of PoK’s public services. Notably, the government pledged funds to enhance health care, including the rollout of health cards in PoK for free treatment. In addition, the plan includes the phased provision of MRI and CT scanning machines at district levels, funded by the federal government. These measures respond to urgent health needs and aim to prevent a repeat of healthcare disruptions during periods of tension.
Infrastructure and energy form a central pillar of the deal. The government agreed to allocate PKR 10 billion to improve the electricity grid in PoK, a step widely seen as essential to stabilising daily life for residents and reducing the strains that can fuel protests. The agreement also mentions feasibility studies for new transport links, including potential tunnels on the Neelum Valley road, with two specific sites identified for study: Kahori/Kamser and Chaplani. By considering such projects, authorities aim to boost connectivity and development in the region.
<h2Governance and Administrative Reforms
A notable portion of the agreement concerns governance reform in PoK. The size of the regional cabinet is to be trimmed to 20 ministers and advisors, while the number of administrative secretaries will be capped at 20. Some departments will be merged to streamline administration, a move the government hopes will improve efficiency and reduce friction that can spark public discontent. In parallel, a high-powered committee of legal and constitutional experts will scrutinise the PoK Assembly to determine the best path forward for its membership and functioning.
Education and Regional Development
The government’s package also includes the creation of two additional intermediate and secondary education boards for the Muzaffarabad and Poonch divisions. This aims to decentralise oversight, improve curricula, and expand access to schooling at a time when many residents seek stability and opportunity. The budgetary provisions and policy commitments signal a broader push toward economic and social development in PoK, aligned with Pakistan’s wider regional aspirations.
What Comes Next
With roads reopened and a formal agreement in place, officials will monitor implementation, verify compensation disbursal, and ensure that the agreed health, education, and energy projects move from plan to reality. For residents, the immediate concern is returning to daily routines with a sense of security and confidence in public institutions. For observers in Pakistan, the deal represents a test of political will and the government’s capacity to negotiate peace while pursuing long-term reforms in a contested region.
As PoK heals from this period of unrest, the international community will watch how the agreement translates into tangible improvements and how governance changes shape the region’s trajectory in the coming years.
