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, as he expressed concern over the region’s political situation during a party meeting in Lahore.
The former premier made these remarks while chairing a meeting to review the political and administrative situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
The AJK government on June 5 declared the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) a proscribed organisation under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), saying the group was engaged in terrorism.
The ban was imposed days ahead of the banned outfit’s planned June 9 protest 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 earlier 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 should be pursued within the framework of the Constitution.
Calling for an end to protests, Nawaz said all political parties, the AJK government and the federal government should work together to restore peace in the region. He also stressed the need to promote tolerance, harmony and democratic politics.
The meeting expressed sorrow 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 prioritised 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 organising the election campaigns in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir.
The meeting was attended by senior PML-N leaders, including representatives of the party’s AJK chapter.
