ISLAMABAD: The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Thursday strongly criticised Defence Minister Khawaja Asif over his remarks questioning the identity of people in Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), which has become the centre of protests led by the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) against the reservation of 12 seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly for refugees.
Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman called for patience and restraint, noting that several emotional statements had been made in the House, including by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. He said that when the government’s response becomes emotional, it does not suit the stature of those in power.
The matter came under discussion in the National Assembly after Khawaja Asif faced criticism over his reported remarks regarding AJK residents. Both the PPP and JUI-F objected to the comments, arguing that they had aggravated an already sensitive situation.
The unrest in AJK began ahead of a June 9 strike called by the JAAC against the allocation of 12 seats for refugees in the July 27 elections for the region’s 45-member legislative assembly. The refugees are residents of Pakistan who were displaced from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Fazlur Rehman said Khawaja Asif’s remarks were inappropriate for a defence minister and would only intensify tensions. Addressing the government, he remarked that it had entrusted conflict to Khawaja Asif while assigning reconciliation efforts to Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.
The JUI-F chief revealed that he had received a formal letter from the Awami Action Committee outlining its charter of demands and had forwarded it to the government, but had not yet received any response. He stressed that protests should not be met with force merely on the basis of speeches made by demonstrators and urged the authorities to avoid violence.
Fazlur Rehman also welcomed the committee’s decision to postpone its planned march towards Muzaffarabad, adding that he had responded to the committee’s letter through a video message.
Meanwhile, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari launched a sharp attack on certain federal ministers, saying some members of the cabinet were creating problems for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif instead of helping resolve issues. He questioned why a federal minister had claimed that the people of Rawalakot were not Kashmiris and criticised the minister for failing to apologise.
Bilawal said one federal minister had added fuel to the fire rather than helping calm tensions. He urged the prime minister to rein in his team and suggested that space be given to Maulana Fazlur Rehman to play a mediating role in resolving the dispute.
The PPP chairman also turned his attention to Karachi’s local government system, questioning whether the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) considered the city more important than its political interests. He challenged coalition partners to implement in Karachi the same municipal governance model that exists in Lahore.
In a strongly worded message to the MQM-P, Bilawal said that if the prime minister and federal government were unwilling to meet their demands and were merely offering assurances, the party should consider leaving the coalition government. He questioned how long it would continue to remain in the government under such circumstances.
Referring to Gilgit-Baltistan, Bilawal said the PPP was forming a government in the region with the support of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). He also announced that local government elections in Gilgit-Baltistan would be held within the next 90 days.
Responding on behalf of the government, PML-N Senator Rana Sanaullah accused the proscribed Awami Action Committee of resorting to arson and violence in Kashmir a year ago. He stated that the group had presented 38 demands at the time and claimed that all of them had been addressed by the authorities.
Sanaullah said residents of AJK continued to receive electricity at a subsidised rate of Rs3.50 per unit despite significantly higher prices elsewhere in Pakistan. He added that the government had allocated Rs10 billion to address electricity-related concerns and was also providing wheat subsidies to the region.
He argued that the committee’s demand to abolish the 12 refugee seats in the AJK Assembly was a constitutional and legal matter. According to Sanaullah, a six-member committee had already been formed to submit recommendations to the AJK government on the issue. He accused the proscribed committee of rejecting various proposals put forward by the government, including participation in an All-Parties Conference on the refugee seats matter.
Sanaullah maintained that the real objective behind the protest call was to halt the AJK elections. He alleged that the committee wanted to prevent the electoral process from taking place and was attempting to impose its demands through pressure tactics. He further argued that denying refugees the right to vote would undermine the very purpose of the Kashmir freedom movement.
The senior PML-N leader acknowledged that Fazlur Rehman’s views on Kashmir carried significant weight and reiterated that Kashmir remained Pakistan’s jugular vein. He emphasised that no room should be left for misunderstandings on the issue.
Sanaullah concluded by saying the government would welcome any mediating role played by Maulana Fazlur Rehman. However, he stressed that the dispute over the refugee seats could not be resolved through rallies, protests or sit-ins and would instead require dialogue and constitutional mechanisms.