AJK Marchers Demand Peace, End to Blockades and Uninterrupted Food Supplies
SUDHNOTI, AZAD JAMMU AND KASHMIR — WEB DESK: Political and religious party supporters, civil society activists and local residents marched in Sudhnoti on Monday, demanding peace and stability as well as the uninterrupted movement of food and other essential supplies from Pakistan into Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The Sudhnoti March, organised by the Awami Ittehad Forum Sudhnoti, began at Kotli Chowk and moved through different parts of the city before ending at Kachehri Chowk, where participants held a public gathering. Sudhnoti lies about 155 kilometres from the AJK capital, Muzaffarabad.
The demonstration brought together supporters of several parties that ordinarily compete politically, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Muslim Conference, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Party and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party, alongside civil society members and other residents.
Marchers Call for Peace and Stability
Participants focused their public messaging on ending violence, unrest and instability in the region.
At Kachehri Chowk, representatives of political and religious parties and different sections of society said they wanted to promote peace, stability and protection of public rights.
Demonstrators carried slogans rejecting unrest, violence and instability and calling for peace. They also expressed support for close ties between AJK and Pakistan.
These messages represent the positions of the march organisers and participants and should be presented as such rather than as independent assessments of the political or security situation.
End Entry-Point Restrictions, Declaration Says
A joint declaration issued at the conclusion of the demonstration called for an immediate end to blockades and restrictions at entry points connecting AJK and Pakistan.
Participants said such restrictions were creating difficulties for residents, disrupting travel and affecting the movement of essential commodities.
The marchers called for uninterrupted transportation of food and other essential goods from Pakistan into AJK, making supply access one of the central demands of the demonstration.
However, the report does not provide independent data quantifying the scale of current shortages or specify precisely which entry points were subject to restrictions.
It is therefore more accurate to report that demonstrators said restrictions were disrupting supplies and travel, rather than stating as an independently established fact that AJK was under a complete blockade.
Wheat Supply to Flour Mills Among Demands
The declaration specifically called for wheat to be supplied to flour mills across AJK to help maintain uninterrupted availability of flour.
This demand adds an economic and household dimension to the demonstration, with participants seeking continuity in the supply chain for one of the region’s most important staple foods.
The report does not provide figures for current wheat stocks, flour prices or the quantity of wheat requested by mill operators.
Claims of a region-wide flour shortage should therefore not be added without separate evidence.
Internet Restoration Demanded
Participants also called for the immediate restoration of internet services across AJK, alongside improvements in travel and educational facilities, particularly in Sudhnoti and Rawalakot.
Internet restrictions have become a significant public concern during periods of political tension because disruptions can affect communication, businesses, students and access to digital services.
The marchers’ demand came amid reports of connectivity disruptions in parts of the region. The Express Tribune was separately reporting on September 1 that internet access had begun returning to parts of AJK.
Because connectivity may vary by district and provider, the article avoids describing the entire territory as completely offline at the time of publication.
Elections Sought in Seven Constituencies
The joint declaration also demanded immediate elections in seven constituencies of Rawalakot and Sudhnoti.
The demand adds a political component to what was otherwise heavily focused on peace, public services, mobility and essential commodities.
The Tribune report does not provide sufficient detail on the legal or electoral circumstances surrounding all seven constituencies to establish why elections are being sought immediately.
For that reason, the publication-ready account reports the demand without speculating about vacancies, election schedules or constitutional procedures not documented in the source.
Travel Documents and Education Also Raised
Participants urged the authorities to simplify and accelerate the issuance of documents required by residents travelling abroad.
They also asked the AJK government to restore travel and educational facilities, particularly in Rawalakot and Sudhnoti.
Together, the demands show that the march was not focused on a single political issue. Its declaration covered peace and stability, mobility, food and wheat supplies, internet connectivity, education, elections and administrative documentation.
Cross-Party Participation
The involvement of supporters from PML-N, PPP and PTI, along with several smaller political and religious parties, was a notable feature of the demonstration.
However, participation by supporters of those parties should not automatically be interpreted as formal endorsement of every demand by each party’s national or central leadership unless those organisations separately issue official positions.
The event was organised by the Awami Ittehad Forum Sudhnoti, rather than by any single major political party.
This distinction is important for accurate political reporting because a locally organised, cross-party demonstration is different from a formally coordinated national alliance.
Declaration Backs AJK-Pakistan Relationship
The declaration also emphasised AJK’s relationship with Pakistan.
Participants congratulated Pakistan’s government and armed forces for what they described as their role in promoting international peace and argued that a strong and stable Pakistan was important to the Kashmir movement.
The declaration described AJK as Pakistan’s “defensive bulwark” and called for preventing unrest from spreading in the territory.
These formulations are political positions contained in the marchers’ declaration, not neutral descriptions adopted by this report.
Wider Context Requires Careful Framing
The demonstration comes amid broader political and public tensions in AJK, but the Sudhnoti event itself was reported as a peace march calling for an end to unrest and disruption rather than as a violent protest.
There were no casualties, clashes or arrests associated with this particular march reported in the source reviewed.
Likewise, the marchers’ demand for an end to blockades should not be expanded into a claim that Pakistan has imposed a comprehensive blockade on AJK without independent evidence.
The central verified development is that a cross-party gathering organised by the Awami Ittehad Forum Sudhnoti marched through the area demanding peace, removal of entry-point restrictions, uninterrupted essential supplies, wheat for flour mills, restored internet and public services, and elections in seven constituencies of Rawalakot and Sudhnoti.
