The fundamental question surrounding the movement currently being revived in Azad Kashmir is simple: what exactly is its agenda? If the objective was to resolve public grievances, then this question becomes even more relevant given the developments of recent weeks. On May 30, high level negotiations were held between the Government of Pakistan and the Joint Action Committee of Azad Kashmir. The talks were attended by senior political leaders and government representatives, including Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Sanaullah, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Shah Ghulam Qadir, Tariq Farooq, and others. These were not merely symbolic discussions. As a result of the negotiations, twenty five out of the committee’s twenty eight demands have already been accepted, while seventeen FIRs have also been withdrawn. Given this substantial progress, one would have expected the Joint Action Committee to declare victory and return to the negotiating table whenever necessary. Instead, it continues to call for protests, strikes, and agitation. This naturally raises a question: if most of its demands have been met, what is the purpose of continuing the confrontation? Is the objective genuinely to resolve public issues, or is there another agenda aimed at creating instability and unrest in Azad Kashmir? The few demands that remain unresolved are limited in number, and the government’s reservations regarding them are understandable. Consider the issue of taxation. Azad Kashmir generates approximately Rs. 60 billion in annual revenue, while its total budget stands at nearly Rs. 300 billion. This means that roughly Rs. 240 billion is provided by the federal government of Pakistan. If the advance tax currently collected in the region were abolished, Azad Kashmir’s own revenue would decline by an additional Rs. 45 billion, leaving it with only about Rs. 15 billion in annual income. This raises an obvious question. How would a government with only Rs. 15 billion in revenue finance salaries, public services, development projects, and administrative expenses? Why should the federal government be expected to increase its financial burden even further when it is already providing the overwhelming majority of the region’s budgetary support? Any serious discussion of public policy must take economic realities into account. Similarly, the controversy surrounding refugee seats in the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly appears misplaced. The representation of refugees from Indian........

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