The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly on Thursday adopted a resolution reaffirming support for the constitutional status of the 12 seats reserved for refugees from Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and calling for the holding of legislative assembly elections on schedule.
The resolution, jointly moved by five cabinet members, mirrored the declaration adopted at a multi-party conference convened by the government on Wednesday. The session was presided over by Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar, who has been serving as acting president since early this year.
After the question hour and legislative business, Finance Minister Chaudhry Qasim Majeed read out the resolution and briefed the house on progress made in implementing the demands of the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).
“We implemented all those points which were within our jurisdiction. But the matters which have a financial impact do take some time,” he said.
Mr Majeed, who heads the committee overseeing implementation of the agreement reached with the JAAC, said the government had honoured all commitments made under the October 4 agreement under the leadership of Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore.
Taking part in the debate, Law Minister Mian Abdul Waheed said the government could not abolish the refugee seats through an executive decision, as any such move would required a constitutional amendment passed by a two-thirds majority of the Legislative Assembly.
“Constitutional matters can be addressed through constitutional means,” he remarked.
Mr Waheed disclosed that the PPP had at one stage proposed converting the refugee seats into reserved seats to be filled indirectly by lawmakers elected from AJK constituencies, with the aim of addressing concerns over the existing electoral mechanism. However, he said the proposal failed to attract broader support and was subsequently withdrawn.
“Let me make it clear that we never thought the refugees are separate from us and we believe their representation must remain intact,” he added.
Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore told the house that all major political parties had participated in the recent multi-party conference, which unanimously endorsed a resolution supporting refugee representation and timely elections. Stressing that refugees were an integral part of AJK's political structure, he said the government preferred dialogue over confrontation and would continue efforts to resolve disputes through consultation rather than force.
He also cautioned against allowing hostile elements to exploit internal divisions, saying protection of the state's political system was a collective responsibility.
Leader of the Opposition Shah Ghulam Qadir reiterated the PML-N's support for retaining the voting and representation rights of refugees residing in Pakistan and argued that any change to their constitutional status could only be made through legislation. He welcomed the consensus among political parties on holding elections on time.
Former prime minister Raja Farooq Haider maintained that abolishing refugee representation would undermine Pakistan's position on the Kashmir dispute and exclude millions of displaced Kashmiris from the state's political framework. He said refugee representation had existed since the inception of the AJK government and should remain linked to the unresolved status of the Kashmir issue.
PPP AJK president Chaudhry Mohammad Yasin also opposed the abolition of the seats, saying the matter should be resolved through dialogue. While endorsing the consensus reached at the multi-party conference, he suggested that alternative mechanisms of refugee representation could be discussed if required.
Several other lawmakers, including ministers and refugee representatives, also supported the resolution, describing refugee representation as a constitutional, historical and political right and backing the holding of elections within the timeframe prescribed by the constitution.
Tariq Naqash
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