- Fazl urges the government to review the protesters’ charter of demands.
- Sanaullah accuses the banned committee of blocking the AJK polls.
- Bilawal urges PM to control ministers amid AJK controversy.
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Wednesday witnessed sharp criticism of the federal government over the ongoing unrest in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), which has claimed the lives of several people, including law enforcers, and injured dozens.
Speaking in the National Assembly, JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman called for patience and tolerance, saying many emotional statements had been made in the House, including by President Ayaz Sadiq himself.
“When the government’s reaction becomes emotional, it does not befit the stature of the government,” he said.
The National Assembly took up the issue as Defense Minister Khawaja Asif came under fire for remarks he allegedly made about AJK residents, drawing objections from the PPP and JUI-F.
The unrest within AJK began ahead of a June 9 strike called by the JAAC to protest the reservation of 12 seats for refugees in the July 27 elections to the region’s 45-seat Legislative Assembly. The refugees are living in Pakistan after being displaced from Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Fazlur Rehman criticized Asif and said his statements were not befitting of a defense minister and would only fuel tensions further. “You have entrusted the fight to Khawaja Asif and reconciliation to Ishaq Dar,” he told the government.
He said he had received an official letter from the Awami Action Committee and forwarded it to the government, but was yet to receive a response.
He said the committee had shared its charter of demands and protests should not be met with state action based solely on speeches. “Violence should not be used based on the speeches of protesters,” he said.
Fazlur Rehman welcomed the committee’s decision to postpone his planned march to Muzaffarabad, saying he had responded to the committee’s letter via video message.
Bilawal castigates Asif
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, whose party is a coalition partner at the Centre, leveled sharp criticism at some federal ministers, saying some were creating difficulties for the prime minister rather than helping him resolve problems.
“Why do we have ministers saying that the people of Rawalakot are not Kashmiris?” he asked, adding that the minister responsible had still not apologized.
“A federal minister, instead of putting out the fire, threw fuel on the fire,” Bilawal said, urging the prime minister to control his team. He said that Maulana Fazl should be given space to play a mediating role in resolving the issue.
Bilawal also raised the issue of Karachi’s local government system, questioning whether the MQM-P considered Karachi more important than its political seats, and challenged the coalition partners to bring the municipal system of Lahore to Karachi as well.
In a stern warning to the MQM-P, Bilawal said if the Prime Minister and the government did not accept their demands and only offered lollipops, they should leave the federal government. “How long are you going to keep using this pacifier? Leave the federal government,” he said.
In Gilgit-Baltistan, Bilawal said the PPP was forming a government there with the support of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan party and the PML-N, and announced that local elections in Britain would be held within 90 days.
Sanaullah accuses committee of blocking elections
Responding on behalf of the government, PML-N Senator Rana Sanaullah said the banned Awami Action Committee took the path of arson and violence in Kashmir a year ago, putting forward 38 demands at the time – all of which he said had been addressed.
He said residents of AJK continued to receive electricity at Rs 3.50 per unit despite significantly higher tariffs in the rest of Pakistan, and that Rs 10 billion had been provided to resolve electricity-related issues. He added that wheat subsidies were also provided to AJK.
Sanaullah said the committee’s current demand to remove 12 refugee seats in the AJK assembly was a constitutional and legal issue, and a six-member committee had been formed to make recommendations to the AJK government on this issue. He accused the banned committee of rejecting multiple options proposed by the government, including attending an all-party conference on the issue of refugee seats.
“The real aim of the protest call is to stop the AJK elections,” Sanaullah said, adding that the committee wanted the elections to be blocked and was using mob tactics to impose its demands. “Depriving refugees of the right to vote is a deviation from the very purpose of the freedom movement,” he said.
He agreed that Fazl’s remarks on Kashmir carried weight, saying Kashmir was the jugular vein of Pakistan and no room should be given for any misunderstanding.
He said the government would welcome any mediation role Maulana chose to play. “The seating issue will not be resolved by rallies and sit-ins,” he added.
