What happened
A heated debate unfolded in the National Assembly on Wednesday, 24 June 2026, as opposition lawmakers and Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari criticised the federal government over continuing unrest in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The issue was taken up after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif faced objections from members of both the PPP, a coalition partner at the Centre, and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl over remarks he reportedly made questioning the identity of residents of Rawalakot.
The unrest in AJK began before a 9 June strike called by the proscribed Awami Action Committee in protest against the reservation of 12 seats for refugees in the 27 July elections to the region’s 45-member legislative assembly. The refugees live in Pakistan after being displaced from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Several people, including law enforcers, have been killed and dozens injured in the unrest.
What the opposition said
Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari directed sharp criticism at some federal ministers, saying they were creating difficulties for the prime minister instead of helping resolve the situation. “Why do we have ministers who say that residents of Rawalakot are not Kashmiris?” he asked, adding that the minister responsible had still not apologised. He said one federal minister had poured fuel on the fire instead of extinguishing it and urged the prime minister to control his team, calling for space to be given to Maulana Fazlur Rehman to mediate.
Fazlur Rehman said Khawaja Asif’s statements were not befitting a defence minister and would only inflame tensions. “You have handed fighting to Khawaja Asif and reconciliation to Ishaq Dar,” he told the government.
The government’s response
Responding for the government, PML-N Senator Rana Sanaullah said the proscribed Awami Action Committee had adopted arson and violence in Kashmir a year earlier and had then presented 38 demands, all of which, he claimed, had been addressed in some form.
He said the current demand to abolish the 12 refugee seats in the AJK assembly was a constitutional and legal issue, and that a six-member committee had been formed to submit recommendations to the AJK government. He accused the committee of rejecting several options offered by the government, including participation in an all-parties conference on the refugee seats question.
Sanaullah said the real aim of the protest call was to prevent the AJK elections from taking place and accused the committee of trying to impose its demands through mob pressure. He said denying refugees the right to vote ran contrary to the purpose of the freedom movement, and added that the seats issue would not be settled through rallies or sit-ins. He said the government would welcome whatever mediating role the JUI-F chief chose to undertake.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a summary of published reporting, not independent reporting. Details are as carried by the cited sources, which were reviewed on 2026-06-24.
- The News — "JUI-F, PPP criticise defence czar over Rawalakot residents remarks"24 June 2026 · Bilawal's and Fazlur Rehman's criticism, and Sanaullah's response for the government.
- Pakistan Today — "Opposition, PPP criticise govt over AJK unrest in National Assembly"24 June 2026 · The National Assembly debate, the background to the 9 June strike and the six-member committee.
