MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, has said that he personally visited the house of one of the core members of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) to extend an invitation for participation in the All Parties Conference (APC).
He was addressing the media with other political leaders from Azad Kashmir after the All Parties Conference held at the Prime Minister’s House in Muzaffarabad today.
Speaking at the conclusion of the APC, Rathore said that the JAAC had been invited to participate in the conference as an important stakeholder and that he himself had reached out to the committee’s leadership to extend the invitation.
However, the action committee denied the invitation, saying that the position of JAAC is clear, as during the talks on May 30, the proposal made by the Government of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir was refused acceptance on clear grounds.
During the media talk today, Faisal Rathore added that his government remains committed to resolving issues through dialogue and consultation rather than the use of force.
AJK PM further maintained that the government had addressed the issues raised under the agreement reached with the Joint Action Committee and sought additional time to implement certain measures.
The premier claimed that the government requested a period of one week, but the committee was unwilling to grant an extension of five to seven days.
The Prime Minister further remarked that it appeared the committee intended to continue its protest campaign regardless of the removal of refugee seats from the Legislative Assembly.
In response to a question, the Prime Minister said that he has not decided to stop the Action Committee by force, adding that we want to resolve the issues through talks.
While addressing the All Parties Conference, the premier said that he will not allow any operation on the citizens of Azad Kashmir under any circumstances, as he was referring to the protest called by the Action Committee on June 9.
“I will never carry the stigma on my forehead that there is any violent operation against the citizens of the state during my tenure,” he stated.
Rathore added, “If the protesters came to Muzaffarabad on June 9, I would not hesitate to open the doors of the Prime Minister’s House for them.”
