LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday called for an end to sit-ins in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and urged all stakeholders to engage in meaningful dialogue, while expressing concern over the political situation in the region during a party meeting in Lahore.
The former prime minister made these remarks while presiding over a meeting to review the political and administrative situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
On June 5, the AJK government declared the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) a proscribed organization under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), saying the group was involved in terrorism.
The ban was imposed days before the banned group’s planned protest on June 9 seeking the abolition of 12 seats in the AJK reserved for refugees from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) who migrated to Pakistan after 1947.
Addressing the meeting later in the day, the PML-N president expressed concern over the current situation in AJK and said such circumstances should not have arisen.
“This country belongs to all of us,” he said, adding that political and public rights must be pursued within the framework of the Constitution.
Calling for an end to the protests, Nawaz said all political parties, the AJK government and the federal government should work together to restore peace in the region. He also highlighted the need to promote tolerance, harmony and democratic politics.
The gathering expressed grief over the loss of lives in recent incidents in AJK and offered prayers for the deceased.
The three-time former prime minister said the PML-N had always prioritized constitutional rights, basic public welfare and development projects for the people of AJK.
He reiterated the party’s stance on the Kashmir issue, stating that the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) should be granted their right to self-determination in accordance with United Nations (UN) resolutions.
“The people of Kashmir have made unforgettable sacrifices for Pakistan,” he added.
He urged the people of Kashmir to maintain their ideological and intellectual bond with Pakistan while remaining peaceful.
Nawaz also praised Federal Minister Amir Muqam for his efforts in organizing election campaigns in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir.
The meeting was attended by senior PML-N leaders, including representatives of the AJK chapter of the party.
