FOR far too long, political discourse in AJK has been driven by major Pakistani parties, revolving around the politics of the past rather than the promise of the future. Elections focus on historical grievances, sacrifices and exaggerated performance claims, while the real issues confronting ordinary citizens remain neglected. This has fuelled growing frustration among the youth. AJK’s political future, therefore, depends on replacing symbolic politics with developmental politics centred on economic growth, human development and institutional reform.

Every election season brings familiar slogans. Political parties remind voters of their past struggles, recount sacrifices made for democracy or national security and compete in claiming credit for projects that often fail to deliver lasting public benefit. These narratives may generate emotional appeal, but they rarely answer the pressing questions facing millions of Pakistanis. Citizens are less interested in who sacrificed more yesterday than in who can........

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