ISLAMABAD(National Times)- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday expressed dismay over the “unfortunate events” in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) in recent months, adding that, however, the law took its course.
He was addressing a ceremony in Islamabad in which four AJK Council members – nominated by the AJK Legislative Assembly – were administered the oath by PM Shehbaz, who is the chairman of the council.
Referring to the “unfortunate events” in recent months in AJK, he said: “We all regretted it, wished that they did not do that. We all tried to make them understand with utter seriousness”.
The premier did not name anyone specifically but was seemingly referring to protests by the now proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).
The government and the JAAC have been at odds over various issues, most notably the committee’s demand to abolish the 12 refugee seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly, which resulted in violence-marred protests across the region.
On June 5, the JAAC was declared a proscribed organisation by the regional government and placed under the First Schedule of the region’s anti-terrorism act (ATA). A day later, AJK authorities launched a crackdown on the JAAC, arresting scores of its leaders and later placing 147 of its activists on the Fourth Schedule of the ATA.
In his address, PM Shehbaz recalled that an all-parties conference was held in Muzaffarabad where “everyone spoke freely, though they were absent”.
He said it was agreed during the meeting that after elections in the region, the new legislative assembly’s decision or the law passed by it, through consensus or majority, would be respected — an apparent reference to a decision on refugee seats.
“But, unfortunately, they did not accept this noble suggestion. Nevertheless, the law took its course. […] Pakistan had to fulfil its political and legal obligations given that forces were working against Pakistan and the Kashmir cause on a foreign agenda,” the prime minister said.
He also spoke about the four-day military conflict with India in May last year, saying that the Pakistani military, under the leadership of Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, had played a “historical role” and taught the adversary “a lesson that it can never forget”.
“I, once again, pay tribute to Pakistan’s armed forces and CDF Munir and congratulate them.”
At the onset of his address, he congratulated the newly-elected members of the AJK Council.
“This council is a bridge between Pakistan and AJK. It is my honour to have this opportunity to make this bridge stronger.
“We will work harder for the progress of AJK and serve the people of AJK.”
He also called on the AJK president and prime minister to fulfil their constitutional duties and resolve the public’s issues.
“The federal government will mobilise resources to support your development efforts,” PM Shehbaz stated.
The four council members sworn in today were former AJK Legislative Assembly speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar of the PPP from Muzaffarabad, former minister Mushtaq Ahmed Minhas of the PML-N from Bagh, former minister Chaudhry Muhammad Saeed of the PML-N from Mirpur, and Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed of the PML-N from Muzaffarabad.
They were declared elected unopposed as no other candidate entered the contest.
