Nawaz Sharif urges end to AJK protests, calls for talks to restore peace

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 enter meaningful dialogue, as he voiced concern over the prevailing political situation in the region during a party meeting in Lahore.

The former prime minister made the remarks while chairing a meeting held to review the political and administrative situation in AJK. He said the current circumstances in the region were troubling and should not have developed.

The development comes after the AJK government on June 5 declared the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) a proscribed organisation under the Anti-Terrorism Act, alleging that the group was involved in terrorism. The ban was imposed days before the organisation’s planned June 9 protest, which was aimed at demanding the abolition of 12 seats in the AJK assembly reserved for refugees from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) who migrated to Pakistan after 1947.

Call for constitutional politics

Addressing the meeting, Nawaz said political and public rights should be pursued within the constitutional framework and stressed the need for restraint.

He said all political parties, along with the AJK and federal governments, should work jointly to restore peace in the region. He also emphasised the importance of tolerance, harmony and democratic political practice.

Nawaz said: "This country belongs to all of us,"

The meeting also expressed grief over the loss of lives in recent incidents in AJK and offered prayers for those who died.

Kashmir stance reiterated

Nawaz said the PML-N had consistently given priority to constitutional rights, basic public welfare and development projects for the people of AJK. He also reaffirmed the party’s position on the Kashmir issue, saying the people of IIOJK should be granted the right to self-determination in line with United Nations resolutions.

He further said: "The people of Kashmir have made unforgettable sacrifices for Pakistan,"

He urged Kashmiris to preserve their ideological and intellectual bond with Pakistan while remaining peaceful.

During the meeting, Nawaz also praised Federal Minister Amir Muqam for his role in organising election campaigns in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir. The session was attended by senior PML-N leaders, including representatives from the party’s AJK chapter.