Political and religious parties joined traders, lawyers, students and other civil society groups in Sudhnoti on Monday for a peace march demanding an end to unrest and instability in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), alongside the restoration of internet, transport and essential services.
Organised by the Awami Ittehad Forum Sudhnoti, the march began at Kotli Chowk and moved through Palandri before concluding with a public gathering at Kachehri Chowk.
Representatives and workers from the PML-N, PPP, Muslim Conference, JUI, Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Party, Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party and PTI participated alongside transporters, ex-servicemen, students and other residents.
Demonstrators carried messages calling for peace and rejecting violence and instability, while also emphasising AJK’s relationship with Pakistan.
A joint declaration issued after the rally rejected attempts to portray the ongoing movement for public rights in AJK as anti-state. Participants said political and economic grievances should be addressed without undermining peace in the region.
The declaration described the relationship between AJK and Pakistan as an “everlasting bond” and argued that Pakistan’s stability was important to the Kashmir movement. Participants also praised Pakistan and its armed forces for what they described as their role in international peace efforts.
Alongside the broader appeal for stability, the march presented a series of demands addressing the disruption of daily life in AJK. Participants called for the immediate restoration of internet services and the removal of blockades and restrictions at entry points between AJK and Pakistan.
They said the restrictions were disrupting travel and preventing the smooth transportation of food, fuel and other essential commodities. The declaration demanded uninterrupted petrol supplies and sufficient wheat allocations to flour mills to prevent shortages.
Participants also sought the restoration of educational and transport facilities, particularly in Sudhnoti and Rawalakot, and called for faster and simpler processing of documents required by residents travelling abroad.
The gathering demanded immediate elections in seven constituencies of Rawalakot and Sudhnoti.
Concern was also expressed over reports that educational and administrative institutions could be relocated from Rawalakot. Participants urged authorities not to take measures that could deepen feelings of deprivation among residents, citing the region’s longstanding role in the Kashmir movement.
The march, held about 155 kilometres from AJK’s capital, brought together parties that are otherwise political rivals around demands for peace, uninterrupted public services and the protection of residents’ rights amid continuing tensions in the territory.