News Desk
Muzaffarabad:As Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) prepares for general elections on July 27, the 12 assembly seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees residing in Pakistan have emerged as one of the most debated issues of the election campaign.
Political observers believe that the party securing a majority of these refugee seats could gain a decisive advantage in forming the next government in AJK.
The 53-member Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly consists of 33 directly elected seats from constituencies within AJK, eight reserved seats for women, technocrats and overseas Kashmiris, and 12 seats allocated to refugees from Jammu and Kashmir who are settled in various cities across Pakistan, including Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Sialkot.
The controversy surrounding these seats stems from both historical and political factors. Following the partition of the subcontinent and the 1947 conflict over Kashmir, large numbers of Kashmiris migrated to Pakistan. To ensure their representation, seats were reserved for refugee communities in the AJK Assembly.
Supporters of the arrangement argue that it reflects the Assembly’s claim to represent the entire former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, not just the territory administered by Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
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Today, many refugee families are fully integrated into Pakistani society, holding Pakistani citizenship and national identity cards. According to available figures, more than 450,000 registered voters are eligible to cast ballots for the refugee constituencies.
However, critics argue that the electoral structure of these constituencies presents serious challenges. Refugee voters are dispersed across Pakistan rather than concentrated in specific geographic areas. For example, a single constituency may cover dozens of districts across Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan, raising concerns about effective campaigning, election monitoring and transparency.
The issue has long fueled allegations that federal governments use refugee seats to influence political outcomes in Azad Kashmir. Critics contend that parties in power in Islamabad often enjoy an advantage in these constituencies due to administrative influence.
AJK Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore has acknowledged concerns surrounding the refugee seats, noting that critics frequently question whether the constituencies are vulnerable to political manipulation because voting takes place outside Azad Kashmir.
The debate intensified last year when former Chief Justice of the Azad Kashmir Supreme Court Muhammad Azam Khan, shortly after retiring, described the refugee seats as unconstitutional and argued that they diluted the voting power of residents living within Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
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His remarks strengthened demands from the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which has been campaigning for the abolition of the refugee seats. The group argues that the constituencies no longer serve their original purpose and have become a source of political influence and controversy.
Tensions escalated further this month after negotiations between the AJK government and JAAC failed to produce an agreement. Subsequently, the Azad Kashmir Assembly passed a resolution supporting the continuation of the refugee seats, while an All Parties Conference also rejected demands for their abolition.
On June 5, the AJK government declared JAAC a proscribed organization under anti-terrorism laws after the group announced plans for a nationwide strike on June 9, coinciding with the nomination process for the upcoming elections.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif defended the refugee constituencies, arguing that the descendants of those displaced during the 1947 conflict have a legitimate right to political representation. He maintained that any challenge to the system should be pursued through democratic means and decided by voters at the ballot box.
With the election campaign gaining momentum, the future of the 12 refugee seats remains one of the most contentious issues in AJK politics. The government has now filed a reference before the Azad Kashmir Supreme Court seeking legal clarity on the matter, placing the final resolution of the dispute in the hands of the judiciary.
As polling day approaches, the outcome of these constituencies is expected to play a pivotal role in determining the political future of Azad Kashmir.
