Pakistan Army spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said that while the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) have the right to protest, chaos and violence only damage the economy.

Addressing over 1,000 students and faculty members from various universities in Palandri on September 15, the Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) engaged in an interactive question-and-answer session, parts of which later went viral on social media.

Responding to a question on the politics of the Awami Action Committee, General Chaudhry emphasised that AJK has a functional political system and that by most indicators — including education, health, and infrastructure — the region is performing well.

He underlined the importance of taxation, stating: “If the state does not collect taxes, how will it pay for salaries and benefits? More than 30% of the people in AJK are employed in government service.”

The DG ISPR reiterated that while peaceful protest is a democratic right, unrest undermines economic stability. He further noted that God has blessed Kashmir with immense natural resources.

General Chaudhry also reminded students of Kashmir’s deep connection to Pakistan, saying: “The dream of Pakistan was envisioned by someone from Kashmir. Many officers and soldiers in the Pakistan Army are Kashmiri, and the future of Kashmir lies in ‘Kashmir banay ga Pakistan’.”