AJK Leaders Call for Peace and Restraint
MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Dr Muhammad Najeeb and Prime Minister Iftikhar Gillani on Wednesday called for restraint, peace and greater awareness of the region's history. PM Gillani warned that provocative discourse and prevailing unrest were disrupting the lives of ordinary people.
Addressing a seminar organised by the Sudhan Educational Conference, the AJK leadership paid tribute to Col Khan Muhammad Khan, popularly known as Baba-i-Poonch, and Captain Muhammad Hussain Shaheed. The event was held in connection with their anniversary. The leaders recognised their contributions to the freedom movement and the promotion of education.
President Najeeb observed that social media had blurred the distinction between truth and falsehood. He said it was important to include the sacrifices of national heroes and the history of the freedom movement in the educational curriculum.
PM Gillani also blamed irresponsible discourse, particularly on social media, where provocative language was being used merely to attract viewership.
“Did we dream of a future where our children cannot go to school and patients cannot reach hospitals?” he asked. He added that while there might be governance-related shortcomings, chaos was not the answer. “The issue is not whether the demands are right or wrong, but the method being used,” he said, apparently referring to the ongoing unrest in parts of the region.
He said he had received letters from young girls in Poonch complaining that their schools had not reopened. He urged people to avoid discourse that fuelled disorder, saying the region needed to move towards peace and development. He warned that certain individuals were allegedly exploiting public sentiments for their personal agendas, though most of those gathered on Rawalakot outskirts were locals.
“If the writ of the state is not maintained, the state itself will not survive,” he stressed. He added that peace was essential for the region, which has a development budget of Rs32 billion. He said AJK compared favourably with the provinces in infrastructure, electricity tariff structure and literacy rate.
President Najeeb on History and Education
In his concluding address, President Dr Najeeb, who is also a grandson of Baba-i-Poonch, said educating younger generations about national heroes and the Kashmir freedom movement was an urgent need. He recalled that Col Khan Muhammad Khan had encouraged women to save a handful of flour (mutthi bhar aata) to support education and the welfare of the state. This showed his commitment to educational advancement. He added that Capt Muhammad Hussain Shaheed had used his personal savings and sold valuables to launch resistance against the Dogra regime.
Dr Najeeb said the establishment of the Azad Government on Oct 24, 1947, was the result of the sustained struggle and sacrifices of the region's elders. Education, healthcare, electricity and road facilities were also the outcome of their struggles. He urged people to exercise wisdom and not let these achievements go waste due to the personal agendas of certain individuals.
Views from Other Leaders
AJK Legislative Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Tariq Farooq said understanding the history and origins of the Kashmiri movement was essential to forming an informed opinion about the region. He said AJK was not merely a territory spanning 5,000 square miles but was founded on the concept of representing the entire erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Former AJK president Sardar Masood Khan warned that nations which forgot their heroes eventually lost their identity. He suggested that Col Khan Muhammad Khan should be remembered not only as Baba-i-Poonch but also as Baba-i-Kashmir.
Ex-president Sardar Yaqoob Khan called for addressing the root causes of public grievances rather than resorting to allegations and confrontation. Others who spoke included MNA Sher Afzal Marwat, Sudhan Educational Conference President Sardar Shazib Shabbir and MLA Sehrish Qamar.
Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2026.
