The proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) has postponed its planned long march on Muzaffarabad by one week, following back-channel talks that raised hopes for a negotiated end to the standoff. The decision, announced Wednesday, came after influential intermediaries stepped in to mediate, averting fresh violence in the troubled districts of Poonch and Sudhnoti, where thousands had gathered in anticipation. Main Developments No untoward incidents were reported from Poonch and Sudhnoti on Wednesday, while life remained normal across the rest of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). Thousands of people, including women and children, had gathered at Rawalakot's Eidgah Ground, with a smaller crowd assembling at the Mutyalmera bus terminal, awaiting the march. Key JAAC leaders held hours-long talks with a mediation team comprising Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) Chairman Syed Qamar Raza, Chaudhry Zafar Anwar, and Chaudhry Arif. The meeting, lasting from about 1pm to 4pm, followed two earlier rounds of contacts initiated on Sunday and continued Tuesday night. Read also: Why a server glitch forced a court to intervene in university admissions According to a source familiar with the negotiations, both sides reached broad agreement on most agenda items, with only a few outstanding issues remaining. Once resolved, the understanding is expected to be formalized, ending the ongoing sit-in. Another source indicated the mediators had secured backing from the highest levels, helping break the deadlock. Background The JAAC, a proscribed organization, has been staging protests in recent days, leading to heightened tensions in Muzaffarabad and surrounding areas. Earlier rounds of talks involved two respected figures from Poonch—Sardar Amin and Shazib Shabbir—who separately met Prime Minister Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore late Tuesday night, urging him to play an active role in defusing the crisis. Following that meeting, the prime minister posted on X, stating: “This state is a cradle of peace. How long will we continue to watch this peace being stained with our own blood? This cycle must stop here, and the ordeal of innocent people must end. Demanding one’s rights should not become a death warrant.” He added that the government was prepared to take “another step forward” to restore peace. Why It Matters The standoff highlighted deep fractures between the JAAC and state authorities, with AJK Home Secretary Chaudhry Guftar Hussain accusing the group of using “baseless claims and propaganda” to incite people against the state. He claimed the JAAC had used women and children as “human shields,” promoted anti-state narratives, and attempted to damage the historical relationship between Pakistan and AJK. Hussain argued that the JAAC’s actions—including blocking roads and disrupting education—prove its actual purpose is not protecting people’s rights but damaging AJK’s peace, economy, and law and order. The deferral of the march provides a window for dialogue, but the underlying tensions remain unresolved. What's Next JAAC leader Umar Nazir Kashmiri announced the long march was postponed for one week, though sit-ins would continue during that period. He expressed hope that matters agreed upon in principle would be amicably settled. Kashmiri thanked Field Marshal Asim Munir and OPF Chairman Syed Qamar Raza for understanding the grievances of the people of Kashmir. He also claimed the JAAC had written to the army chief two days earlier, after concluding their concerns were not reaching him through official channels. The government’s willingness to take “another step forward” suggests further negotiations are expected, but the outcome remains uncertain given the JAAC’s proscribed status and the state’s firm stance against its actions.