Hafiz Naeem urges talks to resolve AJK crisis, says JI mediating with Jaac

ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Monday said meaningful dialogue remained the only way to address the ongoing situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and urged the government to avoid the use of force and open talks immediately with the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (Jaac).

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Naeem said the JI had taken on the role of mediator and was working to rebuild confidence between the government and the committee in an effort to avert further escalation. He said the party was trying to help prevent bloodshed and unrest through engagement within what he described as Pakistan’s constitutional and national framework as well as the framework of the Kashmir issue.

He said Jaac had conveyed full trust in the JI and had deferred its planned long march, calling it a constructive signal. Naeem urged the authorities to respond seriously and begin negotiations on what he described as the people’s legitimate demands. He also cautioned that the situation in AJK should not be allowed to deteriorate to a stage where India could use it for propaganda against Pakistan and the Kashmir cause.

The JI chief rejected any suggestion that the matter had passed beyond resolution, saying the option of talks was still available. Those present alongside him at the press conference included JI AJK chief Dr Mushtaq Khan, former AJK chief Dr Khalid Mahmood, JI Deputy Secretary General Syed Farasat Shah and Islamabad chief Nasrullah Randhawa.

Meeting with Fazlur Rehman

A day earlier, on Sunday, Hafiz Naeem and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had also called for the AJK crisis to be settled through dialogue rather than force. The two leaders met at Fazlur Rehman’s residence in Islamabad to discuss the situation in the region before addressing a joint press conference.

According to the JI chief, the developments in AJK had caused concern across the country and the issue was highly sensitive. Both leaders warned that any move resulting in bloodshed would worsen the crisis further.

At Monday’s press conference, Naeem reiterated that the JI would continue efforts to help resolve the matter as long as the constitutional and national framework he referred to remained intact.