Terming these seats a “hub of corruption” and “political opportunism,” the committee’s core members — Shaukat Nawaz Mir, Advocate Raja Amjad Ali Khan, Faisal Jameel Kashmiri, Raja Sohaib and Syed Faisal Gillani — alleged at a press conference that the “controversial representation” had no constitutional or ideological connection with the Kashmir freedom struggle and was being exploited by individuals with no real link to the displaced communities.
“Our movement is neither driven by personal motives nor party interests; it is rooted in the people’s long-standing and genuine concerns,” said Mr Khan. “Under the AJK’s Interim Constitution of 1974 and the UN Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) resolutions, it is clear that these 12 refugee seats have no legal, constitutional or ideological relevance to the freedom movement,” he asserted.
Mr Khan further alleged that the seats had become synonymous with fraudulent schemes, bogus development projects and the large-scale misappropriation of funds. “Their emotional linkage with the freedom movement is a smokescreen for preserving vested interests,” he added.
Mr Mir pointed out that genuine refugees had been living in miserable conditions in makeshift camps for over three decades, but those claiming to represent them had done little to alleviate their suffering.
“Instead, they have siphoned off public funds under the pretext of unmonitored development schemes in Pakistani cities and towns. The time has come for people to rise and demand the abolition of these seats,” he said.
The JKJAAC leaders insisted that eliminating these seats would neither weaken the Kashmir cause nor alter the region’s disputed status under international law. Rather, they claimed, it would mark the first step towards dismantling a deeply flawed and corrupt system.
They also lashed out at the current AJK Legislative Assembly, describing it as a “den of corruption,” and labelled its members “vessels of filth” who remained indifferent to public issues.
“Most of the sitting MLAs are turncoats who abandon political principles for personal gain and are merely drawing salaries at the behest of Islamabad without any moral legitimacy,” said Mr Kashmiri.
Expressing concern over what they described as widespread governance failures and political apathy, the leaders demanded comprehensive electoral reforms, restoration of state subject rights, and fresh elections to ensure meaningful public representation.
They maintained that the internal rights of original state residents — known as State Subjects — could only be restored if they returned to reside in the state. Under the 1932 notification, they said, state subject status remains valid for up to two generations even if the individual resides abroad. “Any political solution must begin with facilitating their right of return,” they emphasised.
Acknowledging that AJK was administered as a local authority, the leaders maintained that key matters — including foreign affairs, defence and refugee rehabilitation — fell under the jurisdiction of the Government of Pakistan. “Any federal intervention in AJK must remain within constitutional limits and should not undermine representative governance,” Mr Khan cautioned.
They also criticised rising electricity tariffs and taxation, calling them an added burden on the public, and dismissed the AJK government’s role in recent negotiations with Islamabad as “nonexistent.”
The media, they said, should question those who “run personal agendas in the name of the freedom struggle despite lacking even basic understanding of relevant international resolutions.”
Official response
Reacting to the JKJAAC’s remarks, a spokesperson for the AJK government strongly defended the refugee seats, terming them an “inseparable and integral part” of the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
In a statement, he said the region’s governance was bound by the Interim Constitution, and no pressure group or committee could override its framework.
“Anyone wishing to alter the constitutional framework must follow the legally prescribed process,” the spokesperson said.
“Refugees from occupied Jammu and Kashmir sacrificed everything for the freedom struggle, and their right to representation — including a vote in any future plebiscite — is guaranteed under UN resolutions.”
The spokesperson accused the JKJAAC of pursuing a divisive agenda and described their criticism of refugee representation as “morally inappropriate and politically motivated.”
Stirring resentment against any segment of society, he warned, would only fuel unrest.
“The AJK Legislative Assembly is a representative institution of the entire state. No one has the right to undermine it through emotional sloganeering. If someone seeks constitutional change, it must come through a democratic mandate, not agitation,” he said.
Tariq Naqash
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