A multi-party conference (MPC) convened by the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government on Wednesday reaffirmed support for holding the upcoming Legislative Assembly elections on schedule and declared that any constitutional reforms should be undertaken through the elected assembly following broad-based consultations with all stakeholders.
The conference was held at the Prime Minister’s House and attended by Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore; ruling PPP president Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin; PPP leader and former premier Sardar Tanveer Ilyas; Leader of the Opposition and PML-N president Shah Ghulam Qadir; and his party secretary general Chaudhry Tariq Farooq, PML-N leader and former premier Raja Farooq Haider; Muslim Conference president and former premier Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan; former presidents Sardar Masood Khan and Sardar Yaqoob Khan; Jammu Kashmir Peoples Party president Sardar Hassan Ibrahim Khan; Jammu Kashmir Liberation League president Khawaja Manzoor Qadir; Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam emir Maulana Saeed Yousaf; Jamaat-i-Islami leader Noorul Bari; senior minister for law, justice and parliamentary affairs Mian Abdul Waheed; three other cabinet members; and representatives of several smaller political and religious parties. Refugee lawmakers Abdul Majid Khan and Ahmed Raza Qadri also attended.
The conference began later than scheduled after Prime Minister Rathore drove to the residence of Amjad Ali Khan, a core member of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), to personally invite him to attend the meeting as a stakeholder. Some other JAAC leaders were also present there, but they declined the invitation.
The PTI, according to its spokesperson, was not invited, although its regional president and former prime minister, Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi, was invited in his capacity as a former premier.
Mr Niazi did not attend, accusing the ruling PPP and opposition PML-N of adopting an ambiguous position on the issue of refugee seats. He called for “meaningful talks for implementation of the agreement with JAAC” and warned against the use of force against the people.
Several participants addressed the conference, after which the resolution was drafted by Mr Qadir and senior minister Mian Abdul Waheed in consultation with other participants. The document was later read out by Prime Minister Rathore and unanimously adopted.
The resolution emphasised that voters should be able to exercise their right to vote without fear, pressure or interference and warned that any attempt to sabotage, delay, influence or derail the electoral process should be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law.
The conference also maintained that constitutional reforms fell within the exclusive mandate of the people's elected representatives and should therefore be left to the Legislative Assembly. However, it said any such exercise should be preceded by a broad consultative process involving political parties, bar associations, the Bar Council, civil society organisations and constitutional experts.
Addressing the contentious issue that has recently sparked political debate, the participants recognised the representation of Jammu and Kashmir refugees residing in Pakistan as a historical and constitutional reality. At the same time, they noted that electoral and procedural issues relating to the existing arrangement could be addressed through constitutional reforms carried out by the Legislative Assembly.
The resolution described the continuation of democratic and constitutional processes in AJK as the foundation of regional stability and reiterated a commitment to strengthening democratic institutions. While terming political dissent an essential feature of democracy, it stressed that differences of opinion should not be allowed to undermine governance or institutional functioning.
The conference also expressed concern over Indian attempts to exploit social media and organised propaganda campaigns to create mistrust between state institutions and democratic structures in AJK.
Reaffirming support for Kashmiris' right to self-determination under United Nations resolutions, the participants condemned human rights violations in Indian-occupied Kashmir, including the detention of pro-freedom leaders and political activists, and criticised efforts to alter the territory's demographic composition.
The conference also paid tribute to the sacrifices of Jammu and Kashmir refugees for the Kashmir cause and their support for accession to Pakistan.
PM’s press talk
Talking to reporters after the conference, Prime Minister Rathore confirmed his visit to the residence of a JAAC leader and said the government had addressed issues in accordance with its agreement with the committee.
“We sought additional time from them, but they were not willing to extend it even by a week. It seems that even if the refugee seats are abolished, the committee would still want to shut down the state,” he said.
Responding to a question, he clarified that no decision had been taken to stop JAAC by force.
“We [still] want to resolve issues through dialogue,” he said.
Tariq Naqash
No comments:
Post a Comment