ISLAMABAD: Leaders of the Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Aain-e-Pakistan (TTAP), a grand opposition alliance, on Monday alleged that authorities prevented them from undertaking a planned visit to Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), where recent clashes have reportedly led to casualties and heightened political tensions.
Speaking at a press conference, TTAP chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai, along with senior leaders of the alliance, said the delegation had intended to travel to AJK to assess the situation on the ground and engage with local stakeholders amid deteriorating law and order conditions.
He said the visit had been planned following internal consultations within the alliance and was meant to be a peaceful and consultative mission.
“We had decided weeks ago that we would go to AJK, listen to the people, and understand the situation directly,” he said, adding that the delegation had no intention of provocation.
Referring to reports from the region, Achakzai, who is also the opposition leader in National Assembly, claimed that “more than 10 people had been killed” in recent clashes and warned that the situation was worsening.
“This is not an area where one should pour oil on the fire,” he said. “We went with restraint, not confrontation. Our purpose was only to listen and return.”
He further stated that preventing political leaders from visiting affected areas amounted to restricting democratic engagement.
According to him, such actions could deepen mistrust between the masses and the state rather than help resolve underlying grievances.
Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, the opposition leader in Senate, also criticized the restriction, saying it damaged the country’s democratic image.
He questioned why elected representatives and political leaders were being stopped from visiting what he described as their own region.
“It sends a negative message both nationally and internationally,” he added.
Other members of the delegation included former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, and Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry, among others.
The opposition leaders collectively described the move as an infringement on political activity and warned it could set a troubling precedent.
Meanwhile, tensions in AJK have escalated in recent weeks amid clashes involving the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which has been proscribed by the AJK government, and state authorities.
The unrest comes at a politically sensitive time, with legislative assembly elections in the region scheduled for July 27.
The opposition alliance urged authorities to ensure political freedoms and allow peaceful engagement with affected communities.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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