Speakers of Pakistan’s National Assembly and the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly met in Islamabad to discuss the Kashmir dispute, condemn alleged Indian actions in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, and pledge continued parliamentary cooperation and support for flood-affected communities. The meeting also focused on climate-related risks in the region, parliamentary diplomacy, and efforts to raise the Kashmir issue at international forums.
National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq received AJK Legislative Assembly Speaker Ch. Latif Akbar, who led a parliamentary delegation that included former AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan, Hafiz Ahmad Raza Qadri, Hamid Raza, and Dewan Ali Chughtai. Both sides used the meeting to express strong condemnation of what they called Indian water aggression and grave human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Sardar Ayaz Sadiq emphasized his role as custodian of the House and said he ensures the issuance of production orders for members of the National Assembly without discrimination. He said resolving parliamentarians’ problems remains a foremost priority and reiterated that Pakistan’s Parliament has consistently highlighted the Kashmir issue at regional and international forums.
The National Assembly Speaker expressed deep sorrow over recent torrential rains and the related loss of lives and property in Azad Kashmir, stressing that the people of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir share the same concerns. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to continue raising the Kashmir issue internationally and condemned the unilateral actions taken by India on 5 August 2019, saying force cannot suppress the Kashmiri demand for self-determination.
Ch. Latif Akbar warned that climate change has made Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir particularly vulnerable, with melting glaciers increasing the risk of flash floods. He voiced solidarity with those affected by floods in Punjab and acknowledged the wider hardships facing the country during this testing period.
The AJK Speaker praised Sardar Ayaz Sadiq’s efforts to promote parliamentary diplomacy and stressed the potential for tourism development in Azad Kashmir. He described Pakistan’s success in Marq-e-Haq as both a military and diplomatic achievement and lauded efforts to strengthen cooperation among the country’s legislative institutions.
Ch. Latif Akbar urged members of parliament from Pakistan and Azad Kashmir to work together to elevate the Kashmir issue on the global stage, arguing that durable peace in the region cannot be achieved without resolving the dispute. He commended the sustained support of the Government and people of Pakistan for the Kashmir cause and called for accelerated international efforts to highlight the issue.
