PM Shehbaz calls for peaceful resolution in Azad Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday expressed deep concern over the ongoing situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), urging all parties to adopt a peaceful course of action to resolve their demands.

The prime minister emphasised that while debate, discussion, and peaceful protests were beauties of democracy, there was no tolerance for taking the law into one’s own hands and damaging government properties.

“Unfortunately in situations of chaos and dissent, there are always some, who rush in to score political points,” PM Shehbaz wrote on his X timeline.

He also spoke to the AJK’s Prime Minister and directed all PML-N office bearers in the region to engage with the leaders of the action committee to find a peaceful resolution.

“Despite the efforts of detractors, the matter is expected to be settled soon,” he said.

Azad Kashmir witnessed violent clashes between the police and activists of a rights movement amid a wheel-jam and shutter-down strike across the territory, which left at least one police official dead and several others injured.

Read more: Azad Kashmir shuts down for cheaper electricity and flour

Sub-inspector Adnan Qureshi succumbed to a gunshot wound in the chest in the town of Islamgarh, where he was deployed to stop a rally for Muzaffarabad under the banner of the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).

The JAAC, which has traders at the forefront in most parts of the state, has been seeking the provision of electricity as per hydropower generation cost in AJK, subsidised wheat flour and an end to the privileges of the elite class.

They called for the strike following the arrest of at least 70 of their members in raids on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, AJK PM Chaudhry Anwarul Haq said he has invited the protesters for talks.

Speaking at a press confernece, AJK PM said whatever happened in the protest was actually committed by certain extremists, adding the martyrdom of a police officer during the protest is tragic. Haq said that the government has never backed down from negotiations, adding political government solves problems through dialogue.

He invited the action committee for negotiations and said the news about the resignations of commissioners and deputy commissioners is baseless, adding baseless propaganda is being done on social media.