Al Jazeera English
중도 성향
기타
Italy recovers 10 bodies as boat with nearly 60 on board capsizes off Malta
At least 990 refugees and migrants have died this year while attempting the perilous journey across the Mediterranean.
"REFUGEES" · 중립 · 총 152건
필터 보기현재 지수
50.3
0 = 부정 우세
50 = 중립
100 = 긍정 우세
최근 7일 기준 88,713건을 분석한 결과, 뉴스 심리지수는 50.3(균형)입니다. 긍정 4,473건(5.0%)·중립 82,139건(92.6%)·부정 2,101건(2.4%)이며, 중립 비중이 뚜렷하게 높습니다. 성향 지수는 종합 15.0(중도 균형)입니다.
At least 990 refugees and migrants have died this year while attempting the perilous journey across the Mediterranean.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, whose party holds the majority in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly, said on Sunday he would meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over the current situation in AJK, asserting that issues would be resolved through talks. He said this while presiding over a meeting of the PPP AJK parliamentary party in Islamabad, a statement issued by the PPP said. The meeting was held as tensions gripped AJK, with the region’s government declaring the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) a proscribed organisation and the latter insisting on its demand to abolish 12 refugee seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly. The group also plans to hold a protest on June 9, days ahead of June 27 elections in the region. The PPP statement said the party’s political affairs in-charge Faryal Talpur was also present at the meeting on Sunday where the political situation in AJK was reviewed. “Consultations were held between Bilawal and parliamentary party members regarding the AJK situation,” it said, adding that parliamentary party members gave recommendations to Talpur on the matter. According to the statement, Bilawal expressed concern over the situation in AJK. “We have always prioritised the issues of Kashmiris,” he was quoted as saying. He added that political issues should be resolved through negotiations. “I will meet PM Shehbaz and a solution to the issues would be found through talks and the assembly,” he said. The meeting was held as AJK police sealed the head office of the JAAC, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported. A day earlier, AJK authorities launched a crackdown on the JAAC, arresting scores of its leaders and activists from different areas. On Friday, the AJK government declared JAAC a proscribed organisation, days ahead of a planned protest by the group scheduled for June 9, stating that it was “engaged in terrorism” and had acted in a manner “prejudicial to peace and security” of the state. The group’s latest protest call centres on a highly contentious demand to abolish the 12 seats in the region’s Legislative Assembly that are reserved for refugees from Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir who settled in mainland Pakistan after 1947. JAAC alleges that these seats were often used by mainstream Pakistani political parties to influence the formation of governments in Muzaffarabad. On Thursday, the AJK Legislative Assembly strongly defended the status quo, backing the refugee seats and calling for elections to proceed on schedule. Meanwhile, Islamabad dispatched federal paramilitary forces to reinforce the region’s thinly stretched police force. AJK authorities have also advised intending visitors to postpone their trips until June 20, citing security concerns ahead of the planned protests. ‘Most demands fulfilled’ Earlier on Sunday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry maintained that most of the Joint Awami Action Committee’s (JAAC) demands, agreed between the JAAC and the government last October, had been fulfilled. “Thirty-five out of 38 demands have been implemented,” he said while addressing a press conference in Islamabad. About the remaining demands, he said the courts had issued an order regarding some and others were not feasible. He claimed “negative propaganda is being spread that the government has fulfilled only three out of 38 demands,” emphasising that the solution to the issues could not be “violent demonstrations” and dialogue should be the way forward. The minister asked if the unrest was an attempt at “portraying Pakistan and AJK as separate entities; is it an attempt to weaken Pakistan’s relation with AJK; is it an attempt to create hatred between refugees from India-occupied Kashmir and the people of AJK; and lastly, is this an attempt to weaken the Kashmir cause?” He claimed that the government had not disregarded the JAAC’s demands; however, he pointed out that, “when we talk to them about resolving issues through dialogue, they respond with violent demonstrations; these are two contradictory approaches”. “The clauses that are yet to be implemented, we can still sit down and talk about them,” he said, reiterating that the solution was not violence and taking law and order into one’s hands. At the outset of the press conference, Chaudhry said that certain actors were attempting to create unrest ahead of the July 27 elections in AJK. “Attempts are being made that the violent protests that have happened in the region in the past can be revived,” Chaudhry said, recalling the unrest in the region in September-October 2025. He recalled that the JAAC was formed in September 2023 and at the time, they had three demands: subsidy on flour, decrease in electricity prices and reduction in elite privileges. “As a result of that, we saw a shutter-down strike in 2024 in AJK, accompanied by violent demonstrations,” the minister recalled, stating that the government had fulfilled all the demands at the time. He further stated that the demonstrations broke out again in September 2025, and a charter of demands was presented, listing 38 clauses, following which the government signed an agreement with the JAAC on October 4. He added that he, along with the Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Amir Muqam, had been holding monthly meetings with JAAC to review progress on the agreement. However, JAAC still put out a fresh call for protests on June 9, he noted. Chaudhry recalled that on May 30, a committee comprising federal ministers met the JAAC in Muzaffarabad, where the demand for abolishing 12 refugee seats was put forward. He said that the government’s representatives had also suggested that an all parties meeting be called to debate the matter. “Around 2-2.2 million Kashmiri refugees are living in Pakistan, and 12 people sitting in a closed room cannot abolish those seats,” the minister asserted, adding that the JAAC’s other demands related to public welfare had been fulfilled. Chaudhry also said the government’s representatives suggested that the issue should be discussed in the AJK Legislative Assembly or taken to the AJK Supreme Court. “We requested [during the May 30 meeting] that the June 9 protest be postponed by 8-10 days so that we may hold consultations with our senior leadership and work towards a solution,” the minister said, affirming that the government had never refused to discuss the status of the seats. Asserting that 35 out of JAAC’s 38 demands had been fulfilled by the government, including withdrawal of first information reports (FIR) against JAAC demonstrators, reinstating government employees who took part in the demonstrations, a feasibility study on the Kahuta Azad Pattan road in the Sandhoti district, procurement of electricity meters via e-tenders, internet connectivity issues, and establishment of a garbage collection system. As per the minister, some of the other demands fulfilled by the government included amendments in the local government laws, establishment of two new federal boards, and restoration of the health card facility for AJK, among others. He added that while many of the demands in the agreement could be implemented through executive orders — around 18-19 — the rest included ongoing development projects which “cannot be completed within 3-4 months”. “It is not justified to hold long marches every six months under such circumstances,” the minister said.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, whose party holds the majority in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly, said on Sunday he would meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over the current situation in AJK, asserting that issues would be resolved through talks. He said this while presiding over a meeting of the PPP AJK parliamentary party in Islamabad, a statement issued by the PPP said. The meeting was held as tensions gripped AJK, with the region’s government declaring the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) a proscribed organisation and the latter insisting on its demand to abolish 12 refugee seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly. The group also plans to hold a protest on June 9, days ahead of June 27 elections in the region. The PPP statement said the party’s political affairs in-charge Faryal Talpur was also present at the meeting on Sunday where the political situation in AJK was reviewed. “Consultations were held between Bilawal and parliamentary party members regarding the AJK situation,” it said, adding that parliamentary party members gave recommendations to Talpur on the matter. According to the statement, Bilawal expressed concern over the situation in AJK. “We have always prioritised the issues of Kashmiris,” he was quoted as saying. He added that political issues should be resolved through negotiations. “I will meet PM Shehbaz and a solution to the issues would be found through talks and the assembly,” he said. The meeting was held a day after AJK authorities launched a crackdown on the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), arresting scores of its leaders and activists from different areas. On Friday, the AJK government declared JAAC a proscribed organisation, days ahead of a planned protest by the group scheduled for June 9, stating that it was “engaged in terrorism” and had acted in a manner “prejudicial to peace and security” of the state. The group’s latest protest call centres on a highly contentious demand to abolish the 12 seats in the region’s Legislative Assembly that are reserved for refugees from Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir who settled in mainland Pakistan after 1947. JAAC alleges that these seats were often used by mainstream Pakistani political parties to influence the formation of governments in Muzaffarabad. On Thursday, the AJK Legislative Assembly strongly defended the status quo, backing the refugee seats and calling for elections to proceed on schedule. Meanwhile, Islamabad dispatched federal paramilitary forces to reinforce the region’s thinly stretched police force. AJK authorities have also advised intending visitors to postpone their trips until June 20, citing security concerns ahead of the planned protests. ‘Most demands fulfilled’ Earlier on Sunday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry maintained that most of the Joint Awami Action Committee’s (JAAC) demands, agreed between the JAAC and the government last October, had been fulfilled. “Thirty-five out of 38 demands have been implemented,” he said while addressing a press conference in Islamabad. About the remaining demands, he said the courts had issued an order regarding some and others were not feasible. He claimed “negative propaganda is being spread that the government has fulfilled only three out of 38 demands,” emphasising that the solution to the issues could not be “violent demonstrations” and dialogue should be the way forward. The minister asked if the unrest was an attempt at “portraying Pakistan and AJK as separate entities; is it an attempt to weaken Pakistan’s relation with AJK; is it an attempt to create hatred between the people of refugees from India-occupied Kashmir and the people of AJK; and lastly, is this an attempt to weaken the Kashmir cause?” He claimed that the government had not disregarded the JAAC’s demands; however, he pointed out that, “when we talk to them about resolving issues through dialogue, they respond with violent demonstrations; these are two contradictory approaches”. “The clauses that are yet to be implemented, we can still sit down and talk about them,” he said, reiterating that the solution was not violence and taking law and order into one’s hands. At the outset of the press conference, Chaudhry said that certain actors were attempting to create unrest ahead of the July 27 elections in AJK. “Attempts are being made that the violent protests that have happened in the region in the past can be revived,” Chaudhry said, recalling the unrest in the region in September-October 2025. He recalled that the JAAC was formed in September 2023 and at the time, they had three demands: subsidy on flour, decrease in electricity prices and reduction in elite privileges. “As a result of that, we saw a shutter-down strike in 2024 in AJK, accompanied by violent demonstrations,” the minister recalled, stating that the government had fulfilled all the demands at the time. He further stated that the demonstrations broke out again in September 2025, and a charter of demands was presented, listing 38 clauses, following which the government signed an agreement with the JAAC on October 4. He added that he, along with the Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Amir Muqam, had been holding monthly meetings with JAAC to review progress on the agreement. However, JAAC still put out a fresh call for protests on June 9, he noted. Chaudhry recalled that on May 30, a committee comprising federal ministers met the JAAC in Muzaffarabad, where the demand for abolishing 12 refugee seats was put forward. He said that the government’s representatives had also suggested that an all parties meeting be called to debate the matter. “Around 2-2.2 million Kashmiri refugees are living in Pakistan, and 12 people sitting in a closed room cannot abolish those seats,” the minister asserted, adding that the JAAC’s other demands related to public welfare had been fulfilled. Chaudhry also said the government’s representatives suggested that the issue should be discussed in the AJK Legislative Assembly or taken to the AJK Supreme Court. “We requested that June 9 call be postponed by 8-10 days so we can hold consultations with our senior leadership and work towards a solution,” the minister said, affirming that the government had never refused to discuss the status of the seats. Asserting that 35 out of JAAC’s 38 demands had been fulfilled by the government, including withdrawal of first information reports (FIR) against JAAC demonstrators, reinstating government employees who took part in the demonstrations, a feasibility study on the Kahuta Azad Pattan road in the Sandhoti district, procurement of electricity meters via e-tenders, internet connectivity issues, and establishment of a garbage collection system. As per the minister, some of the other demands fulfilled by the government included amendments in the local government laws, establishment of two new federal boards, and restoration of the health card facility for AJK, among others. He added that while many of the demands in the agreement could be implemented through executive orders — around 18-19 — the rest included ongoing development projects which “cannot be completed within 3-4 months”. “It is not justified to hold long marches every six months under such circumstances,” the minister said.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, whose party holds the majority in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly, said on Sunday he would meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over the current situation in AJK, asserting that issues would be resolved through talks. Earlier, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry maintained that most of the Joint Awami Action Committee’s (JAAC) demands, agreed between the JAAC and the government last October, had been fulfilled. “Thirty-five out of 38 demands have been implemented,” he said while addressing a press conference in Islamabad. Of the three remaining demands out of the total 38, the minister said that “on some of them, courts had issued an order, and others were not feasible”. He claimed “negative propaganda was being spread that the government has fulfilled only three out of 38 demands,” emphasising that the solution to the issue cannot be “violent demonstrations” and dialogue should be the way forward. The minister asked if the unrest was an attempt at “portraying Pakistan and AJK as separate entities; is it an attempt to weaken Pakistan’s relation with AJK; is it an attempt to draw parallels between the people of India-occupied Kashmir and AJK, and lastly, is this an attempt to weaken the Kashmir cause?” He claimed that the government had not disregarded the JAAC’s demands; however, he pointed out that, “when we talk to them about resolving issues through dialogue, they respond with violent demonstrations; these are two contradictory approaches”. “The clauses that are yet to be implemented, we can still sit down and talk about them,” he said, reiterating that the solution was not violence and taking law and order into one’s hands. At the outset of the press conference, Chaudhry said that certain actors were attempting to create a situation of unrest ahead of the July 27 elections in AJK. “Attempts are being made that the violent protests that have happened in the region in the past can be revived,” Chaudhry said, recalling the unrest in the region in September-October 2025. He recalled that the JAAC was formed in September 2023 and at the time, they had three demands: subsidy on flour, decrease in electricity prices and reduction in elite privileges. “As a result of that, we saw a shutter-down strike in 2024 in AJK, accompanied by violent demonstrations,” the minister recalled, stating that the government had fulfilled all the demands at the time. He further stated that the demonstrations broke out again in September 2025 and a charter of demands was presented, listing 38 clauses, following which the government signed an agreement with the JAAC on October 4. He added that he, along with the Minister for Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan, Amir Muqam, have been holding monthly meetings with JAAC to review progress on the agreement. However, JAAC still put out a fresh call for protests on June 9, he noted. Chaudhry recalled that on May 30, a committee comprising federal ministers met the JAAC in Muzaffarabad, where the demand for abolishing 12 refugee seats was put forward. He said that government’s representatives suggested that an all-parties conference for every registered political party in AJK be called and the issue be debated, given the constitutional nature of the demand. “Around 2-2.2 million Kashmiri refugees are living in Pakistan, and 12 people sitting in a closed room cannot abolish those seats,” the minister asserted, adding that the JAAC’s earlier demands had been related to public welfare and were fulfilled. Chaudhry also said the government’s representatives suggested that the issue should be discussed in the AJK legislative assembly. It was also suggested that the status of the seats can be contested in the AJK Supreme Court, the minister added. “We requested that June 9 call be postponed by 8-10 days so we can hold consultations with our senior leadership and work towards a solution,” the minister said, affirming that the government had never refused to discuss the status of the seats. Chaudhry took note of what he called a “false narrative” circulating on social media that the government had failed to meet all the demands outlined in the October 2025 agreement with the JAAC. The minister said that 35 out of the 38 demands had been fulfilled by the government, including withdrawal of first information reports (FIR) against demonstrators, reinstating government employees who took part in the demonstrations, a feasibility study on the Kahuta Azad Pattan road in Sandhoti district, procurement of electricity meters via e-tenders, measures for floor quality, internet connectivity issues, establishment of a garbage collection system. As per the minister, some of the other demands fulfilled by the government included amendments in the local government laws, establishment of two new federal boards, and restoration of the health card facility of AJK, and Mirpur airport among others. He added that while many of the causes in the agreement could be implemented through executive orders — around 18-19 — the rest included ongoing development projects which “cannot be completed within 3-4 months”. “It is not justified to hold long marches every six months under such circumstances,” the minister said.
Analysis: Odesa-based Canadian journalist Michael Bociurkiw says Ukraine is drained after four years of war, and refugees here face grim choice
MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Supreme Court has observed that any amendment in the region’s constitution was “not a concession to be wrested” from the government, as the court issued its advice on a presidential reference, which emerged on Sunday. The advisory opinion came in response to a reference filed by acting AJK President Chaudhry Latif Akbar under Article 46-A of the Interim Constitution Act, 1974 after the recently proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) demanded the abolition of 12 refugee seats in the legislative assembly ahead of the July 27 elections. The 12 seats are reserved for refugees from Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, who settled in mainland Pakistan after 1947. JAAC alleged that these seats were often used by mainstream Pakistani political parties to influence the formation of governments in Muzaffarabad. The presidential reference had sought answers to five key questions over the constitutional status of the refugee seats, the legislature’s competence to introduce a fundamental constitutional amendment at the present stage, the constitutional limits of the rights of assembly and association, and the state’s obligation to protect the electoral process and reject extra-constitutional demands. In the advisory opinion, dated June 6 and available with Dawn, AJK SC Chief Justice Raja Saeed Akram Khan held that the constitution of the AJK was the “supreme law” of the state and its provisions the “property of the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and of the whole Kashmiri people”. “The amendment of the constitution is a solemn constitutional act, not a concession to be wrested from a government under duress,” the opinion declared. “It can only be accomplished through the process the constitution itself prescribes, by an assembly possessed of the full democratic mandate of the people, after deliberation, consultation, and consensus-building,” the advisory opinion read. The court stated that the advisory opinion was being tendered after “full consideration of the constitutional provisions, the legislative and historical background of the refugee seats, the factual matrix placed before this court, and the submissions of the advocate general and the learned amicus curiae”. The court observed that the AJK government remained legally obligated to hold elections within the time stipulated by the constitution. It maintained that the constitution was not a “document to be honoured when convenient and discarded when inconvenient”. “The constitution endures because its guardians, ie, the government, the legislature, the judiciary, and ultimately the people, stand firm in its defence.” Chief Election Commissioner retired Justice Ghulam Mustafa Mughal, announcing the election schedule on June 5, had said that the elections on refugee seats had previously been conducted under judicial supervision, but after the judiciary withdrew from the process, the responsibility would now be carried out by officials of the Election Commission of Pakistan. Responding to a question about the planned JAAC protests, he said a prolonged agitation could affect the electoral process. The same day, the region’s government proscribed the JAAC, days before the group was scheduled to stage a protest. The JAAC’s latest protest call centred around the highly contentious demand to abolish the 12 refugee seats in the region’s Legislative Assembly. AJK authorities have also advised intending visitors to postpone their trips until June 20, citing security concerns ahead of the planned protests.
For nine days, Nurul Nisa was crammed onto one of four fishing boats with 130 others, fleeing her village in Myanmar in search of safety. She was a child then, but she still remembers the crying, the sleepless nights and the hunger. “We had to drink seawater,” she said, recalling the journey she made with her mother and two sisters in 2010, after their village had been burnt down. To secure the four wooden fishing boats needed for the voyage, the villagers pooled their resources and sold...
TENSION has once again gripped Azad Jammu and Kashmir, with the region’s administration proscribing the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee on Friday, ahead of a protest planned on June 9. The AJK government has also ordered visitors to leave the region at the peak of the tourist season, while communications have experienced disruptions. Such confrontations between the AJK authorities and the JAAC have become all too frequent over the past few years; the last major flare-up occurred in October, resulting in deaths as protesters and authorities clashed. The JAAC has evolved from advocating for civic rights for the local people to demanding constitutional changes. In particular, the organisation wants the abolition of 12 seats reserved for refugees from India-held Kashmir who have settled in the region. General elections are scheduled for AJK on July 27. Though the JAAC’s demands are open to scrutiny, banning any political party or organisation — as long as it remains committed to peaceful activism — is undemocratic. Peaceful protest is a fundamental right and should not be curtailed. In fact, the JAAC’s demands are not without substance. There is some truth in the claim that mainstream parties in Pakistan use refugees’ seats to make and break governments in Muzaffarabad. It is also true that governments in AJK usually ally themselves with the party in power in Islamabad. Moreover, many of those elected on refugees’ seats live in different parts of Pakistan, and often do not pay enough attention to affairs in AJK. But a blanket abolition of refugee seats is also not advisable. Instead of taking maximalist positions, both sides — the Azad Kashmir administration and the JAAC — need to handle this issue and all other allied matters in a democratic manner. The government should reverse the ban on JAAC as it is an organisation with popular support, and suppressing dissenting voices will not make them go away. For their part, the JAAC’s leaders need to realise that delicate constitutional issues cannot be decided on the streets. The right forum to discuss changes to the law is the AJK legislature. Reforms regarding the number of refugee seats and other related questions can be debated in the House. Right now all stakeholders need to step back and pursue a political solution to this deadlock, instead of digging in for a confrontation. It should also be remembered that AJK is a sensitive region, and the state can ill-afford disturbances here. Let both sides meet halfway and discuss their differences in a rational manner. The state must listen to the genuine grievances of the JAAC, while the latter should ensure that all protest activity is peaceful, and adopt the legal and constitutional route for reform and better governance. Published in Dawn, June 7th, 2026
Every single one of the 599 refugees the US admitted last month was a white South African, according to data from the State Department’s Bureau of Population released Friday. In fact, so was every other refugee admitted this year. Since October 1, 2025, the US has accepted 6,668 refugees. Of those, 6,665 were white South […]
The government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Friday declared the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) a proscribed organisation and placed it under the First Schedule of the region’s Anti-Terrorism Act 2014. The notification by AJK’s Home Department said the group is “engaged in terrorism” and has acted in a manner “prejudicial to peace and security” of the state. It further stated that JAAC is involved in “creating anarchy in the state by intimidating public, promoting hatred and creating a sense of insecurity in society and public at large etc”. “Now, therefore, in exercise of powers conferred under section 12 of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Terrorism Act, 2014, the President, Azad Jammu and Kashmir has accorded approval to list the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JK-JAAC), also known by names such as Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) and Awami Action Committee (AAC) etc, in the First Schedule of ATA, 2014, Proscribed Organization for the purpose of the said Act.” The government took the measure following a strike call by the group for June 9. The group’s latest protest call centres on a highly contentious demand to abolish the 12 seats in the region’s Legislative Assembly that are reserved for refugees from Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir who settled in mainland Pakistan after 1947. JAAC alleged that these seats are frequently used by mainstream Pakistani political parties to influence the formation of governments in Muzaffarabad. On Thursday, the AJK Legislative Assembly strongly defended the status quo, backing the refugee seats and calling for elections to proceed on schedule. Anxious to prevent a repeat of past bloodshed, Islamabad dispatched federal paramilitary forces to reinforce the region’s thinly stretched police force. On Thursday, AJK Inspector General of Police Captain (retired) Liaqat Ali Malik formally requested 14,000 additional personnel from the federal government to secure the territory from June 7 to June 21. Video footage circulating on Friday showed convoys of security personnel entering Muzaffarabad, suggesting that reinforcements were already being moved into the region ahead of the planned strike. “Our foremost responsibility is to protect public and private life and property, and the police will act in accordance with their mandate,” Malik told Dawn earlier. Meanwhile, speculation mounted on social media that authorities might suspend internet and mobile data services, as they had during the weeklong JAAC strike in September-October last year. The previous shutdown had severely disrupted academic activities, online businesses and freelance work, while also hampering communication by rendering internet-based calling and messaging services inaccessible across the region. Separately, the University of AJK on Friday postponed its Spring 2026 term examinations, scheduled to commence on June 8, until further orders in view of the JAAC strike call. More to follow
The government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Friday banned the region’s Joint Awami Action Committee’s (JAAC) and placed it under the First Schedule under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2014. The notification by Azad Kashmir’s Home Department said the group is “engaged in terrorism” and has acted in a manner “prejudicial to peace and security” of the state. It further stated that JAAC is involved in “creating anarchy in the state by intimidating public, promoting hatred and creating a sense of insecurity in society and public at large etc”. The government took the measure following a strike call by the group for June 9. The group’s latest protest call centres on a highly contentious demand to abolish the 12 seats in the region’s Legislative Assembly that are reserved for refugees from Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir who settled in mainland Pakistan after 1947. JAAC alleged that these seats are frequently used by mainstream Pakistani political parties to influence the formation of governments in Muzaffarabad. On Thursday, the AJK Legislative Assembly strongly defended the status quo, backing the refugee seats and calling for elections to proceed on schedule. Anxious to prevent a repeat of past bloodshed, Islamabad dispatched federal paramilitary forces to reinforce the region’s thinly stretched police force. On Thursday, AJK Inspector General of Police Captain (retired) Liaqat Ali Malik formally requested 14,000 additional personnel from the federal government to secure the territory from June 7 to June 21. Video footage circulating on Friday showed convoys of security personnel entering Muzaffarabad, suggesting that reinforcements were already being moved into the region ahead of the planned strike. “Our foremost responsibility is to protect public and private life and property, and the police will act in accordance with their mandate,” Malik told Dawn earlier. Meanwhile, speculation mounted on social media that authorities might suspend internet and mobile data services, as they had during the weeklong JAAC strike in September-October last year. The previous shutdown had severely disrupted academic activities, online businesses and freelance work, while also hampering communication by rendering internet-based calling and messaging services inaccessible across the region. Separately, the University of AJK on Friday postponed its Spring 2026 term examinations, scheduled to commence on June 8, until further orders in view of the JAAC strike call. More to follow
Chagos Refugees delegation says issue ‘hijacked within the halls’ of politics on visit to UK A Chagossian delegation visiting the UK has urged parliamentarians to complete stalled legislation to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, which they say has been “hijacked within the halls” of UK politics. The six-person contingent from the Chagos Refugees group expressed their full support for the UK to conclude an agreement after the government was forced to shelve legislation when the US dropped support for the agreement. Continue reading...
MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government on Friday urged outsiders to avoid travelling to the region and asked current visitors to leave immediately, ahead of a major protest that has prompted the deployment of federal paramilitary troops. The strict travel advisory, effective from June 5 to June 20, comes in response to a strike call for June 9 by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a civil society alliance spearheading a volatile rights movement in the territory. “The measure is advised to save intending visitors from any unexpected situation or inconvenience,” an unnamed official spokesperson said in a press release issued by the region’s Press Information Department (PID). “The government also requests those already in the territory for sightseeing or any other purpose to leave by Friday evening so that they do not confront any unpleasant situation,” the spokesperson added. Zahid Aslam, who owns a guest house in Neelum Valley, told Dawn that the administration had urged him to ask his guests to leave. His guest house was booked till June 16, but guests are now requesting refunds. The JAAC has previously led mass demonstrations over local economic grievances and political rights that turned deadly during clashes with law enforcement in May 2024 and September 2025. The alliance’s latest protest wave centres on a highly contentious demand to abolish the 12 seats in the region’s Legislative Assembly that are reserved for refugees from Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir who settled in mainland Pakistan after 1947. JAAC alleges that these seats are frequently used by mainstream Pakistani political parties to influence the formation of governments in Muzaffarabad. On Thursday, the AJK Legislative Assembly strongly defended the status quo, backing the refugee seats and calling for elections to proceed on schedule. Anxious to prevent a repeat of past bloodshed, Islamabad has dispatched federal paramilitary forces to reinforce the region’s thinly stretched police force. On Thursday, AJK Inspector General of Police Captain (retired) Liaqat Ali Malik formally requested 14,000 additional personnel from the federal government to secure the territory from June 7 to June 21. Video footage circulating on Friday showed convoys of security personnel entering Muzaffarabad, suggesting that reinforcements were already being moved into the region ahead of the planned strike. “Our foremost responsibility is to protect public and private life and property, and the police will act in accordance with their mandate,” Malik told Dawn. “I urge people not to join any mob seeking to create unrest or attack security forces. Anyone with grievances or demands should pursue them through democratic and peaceful means,” he added. A senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Dawn that the requisitioned force was “well over 14,000”, as two additional requests had been sent to the federal government for supplementary deployments. Meanwhile, speculation mounted on social media that authorities might suspend internet and mobile data services from Friday midnight, as they had during the weeklong JAAC strike in September-October last year. The previous shutdown had severely disrupted academic activities, online businesses and freelance work, while also hampering communication by rendering internet-based calling and messaging services inaccessible across the region. There was, however, no immediate official confirmation of the reports. Separately, the University of AJK on Friday postponed its Spring 2026 term examinations, scheduled to commence on June 8, until further orders in view of the JAAC strike call.
Demonstrators call for the closure of the UN refugee agency headquarters in Tripoli.
Hundreds of Libyans gathered outside the UN refugee agency headquarters in Tripoli on Thursday to protest against irregular migrants and refugees they say should leave Libya. The post Hundreds in Libya protest against migrants, refugees appeared first on Vanguard News.
With Armenia heading to the polls for a critical parliamentary election, a bitter internal battle has taken center stage. Since the fall of Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023, more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians have fled. But as Prime Minister Pashinyan campaigns heavily on a final peace accord with Azerbaijan, refugees face an unexpected second front: legal marginalisation and hostile rhetoric from the very top. FRANCE 24’s Taline Oundjian, Wassim Daly and Olivia Bizot report.
It is the moving story of a Russian father and daughter who opposed Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine. It all began in March 2022, when 12-year-old Maria drew an anti-war picture at school in response to the invasion launched a month earlier. She was immediately reported by those around her, and the FSB soon visited both her school and her home. Her father was eventually arrested for supporting his daughter and speaking out against the war. He was convicted of discrediting the Russian army. Following his release from a penal colony, he and Maria left Russia and are now refugees in Strasbourg. A report by Elena Volochine, English adaptation by Lauren Bain.
Editor’s note: Names have been changed to protect the identities of the Afrikaner refugees. Marie and her family fled racial persecution against white Afrikaners in South Africa nearly one year ago, hoping for a better life in the United States. She, her husband, and 15-year-old daughter were resettled as refugees in Chicago, where they ...
For over two decades, Pakistan has been locked in a war, not of its choosing but one that it cannot escape. Long after the withdrawal of Western forces from Afghanistan in August 2021, Pakistan continues to absorb the strategic shockwaves of a conflict whose centre of gravity may have shifted, but not disappeared. The return of the Taliban to power in Kabul has transformed the security landscape of South and Central Asia, with Pakistan bearing the most immediate and severe consequences. This is not merely a bilateral problem between neighbours. It is a global security challenge with implications stretching from West Asia to Europe, amid growing international concern over Afghanistan becoming a renewed militant hub. Pakistan’s role in the post-9/11 international order was clear and costly. As a frontline partner of the United States and Nato, Pakistan provided intelligence cooperation, logistics, and sustained military operations against Al Qaeda and affiliated networks. It was later designated a Major Non-Nato Ally, reflecting its centrality to global counterterrorism efforts. Yet, while international forces eventually exited Afghanistan, Pakistan’s war did not end. Instead, it evolved into a long war of attrition aimed at preventing the spillover of militancy from Afghan territory into the region and beyond. The cost Pakistan has paid is extraordinary. Over the past two decades, approximately 100,000 Pakistanis have lost their lives to terrorism, including civilians, security personnel, and children, most tragically symbolised by the massacre at the Army Public School in Peshawar. The site of a truck bomb attack on the Marriott hotel in Islamabad on September 20, 2008. — Reuters/File The economic toll exceeds $150 billion, encompassing destroyed infrastructure, lost investment, and enduring reputational damage. These figures are not abstractions; they represent one of the highest sacrifices borne by any country in the global war on terror. Over the years, Pakistan has pursued a sustained counterterrorism strategy. It dismantled major terrorist sanctuaries through sequential operations, strengthened its legal framework via the Anti-Terrorism Act and National Action Plan, operationalised dedicated counterterrorism institutions, and imposed financial controls to disrupt terrorist funding. By the late 2010s, violence had dropped sharply, and Pakistan had rebuilt a measure of internal security through institutional resilience rather than episodic force. That progress has been severely undermined by the Taliban’s return to power. Despite commitments under the 2020 Doha framework to prevent Afghan soil from being used against other states, militancy accelerated after the release of thousands of prisoners and the collapse of the Afghan republic. Today, Afghanistan has once again become a permissive environment for transnational jihadist groups, as documented by the United Nations Monitoring teams, contradicting the Doha pledge that Afghan soil would not be used to threaten the security of the United States and its allies. What makes the current situation uniquely dangerous is that the Taliban are no longer an insurgent movement operating from the shadows; they control an entire state. They possess territory, resources, institutions, and an education system that is being systematically redesigned to serve ideological ends. Analysts warn that this form of state capture amounts to long-term societal engineering with consequences that do not remain confined to one country. For Pakistan, the impact is direct and violent. Afghan soil is being used as a launchpad for cross-border terrorism. Pakistani authorities have identified camps, staging areas, and logistics nodes inside Afghanistan operated by the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other groups. Leaders of the TTP terror outfit operate openly from Afghan cities, enjoying protection and material support. A security personnel stands guard at an imambargah following an explosion, in Islamabad on February 6, 2026. — AFP/File In 2025 alone, Pakistan conducted more than 75,000 intelligence-based operations across the country, dismantling terrorist formations and neutralising militants. A striking proportion of those involved were Afghan nationals, reflecting the depth of Afghan-side involvement in anti-Pakistan terrorism. This has repeatedly surfaced in international reporting as Pakistan confronted a sustained spike in attacks and arrests tied to cross-border militant facilitation. Pakistan’s geographic exposure magnifies the threat. It shares a 2,670-kilometre border — by far the longest of any neighbouring state. The border cuts through rugged terrain and dense kinship networks, which are routinely exploited by militant groups for infiltration, making Pakistan the primary firewall against the westward diffusion of jihadist violence. The notion that Pakistan can be destabilised without broader repercussions is therefore dangerously myopic. Policies that tolerate, enable, or instrumentalise militant proxies against Pakistan may appear tactically convenient to some regional actors, but they undermine collective security. Terrorist ecosystems, once empowered, rarely remain controllable. As global benchmarking shows, Pakistan continues to rank among the states most affected by terrorism, reinforcing the scale of the threat confronting it. Afghanistan’s transformation into a hub for transnational militancy is now acknowledged not only by Pakistan but by Russia, China, Iran, Central Asian states, as well as UN monitoring bodies. The problem is no longer one of competing narratives; it is a documented security reality, as international reporting continues to describe Afghanistan as a post-withdrawal magnet for armed networks. Despite immense pressure, Pakistan has consistently chosen engagement over abandonment. When Kabul fell in 2021, and much of the international community closed its embassies, Pakistan kept its mission open and facilitated evacuations. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Afghan Defence Minister Maulvi Sahib Muhammad Yaqub Mujahid shake hands after signing a ceasefire deal between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Doha, Qatar on October 19, 2025. — X/@KhawajaMAsif/File It has advocated for humanitarian support to the Afghan people, called for the unfreezing of Afghan assets to prevent economic collapse, and invested in trade, transit, and border mechanisms to stabilise livelihoods. Pakistan has also hosted millions of Afghan refugees for decades, absorbing a humanitarian burden that few states would tolerate, even though it is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention. These actions underscore a central truth: Pakistan’s objective is not confrontation with Afghanistan but containment of a threat that endangers the region and the world. Yet engagement without accountability has limits. The Taliban’s failure to take verifiable action against terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil has turned Afghanistan into a net exporter of insecurity. Major reporting has consistently linked Afghanistan’s permissive environment with the rising tempo of attacks in Pakistan. Allowing this trajectory to continue unchecked risks recreating the pre-9/11 environment — this time with more sophisticated networks, advanced weaponry left behind after the Western withdrawal, and digital tools that accelerate recruitment and radicalisation. Evidence of ideological-military institutionalisation is increasingly visible, including reports of new militant training camps in Afghanistan linked to Taliban factions and allied groups. For major powers, the strategic implications are clear. Supporting Pakistan in its efforts to eradicate cross-border terrorism is not a favour; it is a strategic necessity that requires intelligence cooperation, diplomatic backing, and coordinated international pressure on the Taliban to honour their commitments, dismantle terrorist sanctuaries, and end cross-border militancy. The alternative strategic neglect or proxy-driven destabilisation would be far costlier. Pakistan’s war on terror has never been only Pakistan’s war. It has been fought, often quietly and at enormous human cost, on behalf of a global order that depends on preventing ungoverned or ideologically weaponised spaces from becoming incubators of transnational violence. Pakistan’s 2025 operational tempo and threat environment have been extensively documented in international reporting tracking the resurgence of militant violence. If the international community fails to recognise this reality, it risks learning once again, perhaps too late, that terrorism ignored at its source rarely stays there. The warning is no longer theoretical: international reports increasingly describe Afghanistan’s post-2021 environment as a convergence space for armed networks with regional reach, reinforcing the urgency of collective action against the renewed Afghanistan-based militant threat. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Dawn.
The 'Refugee Insight Day' will also grant those in attendance the opportunity to 'take part in networking with hiring teams'.