Islamabad: Pakistan Ideological Party Chairman Shaheer Haider Sialvi and Azad Kashmir Party Chairman Sardar Zubair Khan said at a press conference at the National Press Club Islamabad that the current situation in Azad Kashmir is highly worrying and should be resolved through talks.
They said the differences between the government and the Public Action Committee should end immediately so that trust between Pakistan and Kashmir is not damaged. Shaheer Haider Sialvi said the Kashmiri people have always loved Pakistan and have made many sacrifices for it, but recent developments and some political statements have hurt their feelings.
He said it was unacceptable to call the entire Kashmiri nation traitors, adding that the people of occupied Kashmir are still sacrificing their lives for Pakistan. He said the government should talk to public representatives and protesters instead of using force, and should listen to their problems as it would with its own children.
Sialvi said the government must take immediate steps to address the basic issues of the people of Azad Kashmir, especially flour, electricity and other necessities of life. He claimed that most of the protesters’ demands had been accepted, but no formal notification had been issued for implementation, which had increased unrest.
He demanded that elections in Azad Kashmir be postponed for one month so the situation could return to normal and all political parties could get an equal chance to campaign.
Sardar Zubair Khan said the Kashmiri people love Pakistan, but serious steps are needed to solve the problems they face. He said political leadership will have to make decisions according to ground realities to reduce disappointment among the youth.
He said the Pakistan Ideological Party plans to field candidates on all 45 seats in Azad Kashmir and will run a vigorous campaign on public issues. The party leadership also appealed to the government of Pakistan and the government of Azad Kashmir to adopt dialogue, address public concerns and strengthen the historical relationship between Pakistan and Kashmir.
