Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday called for dialogue and peaceful political engagement to restore stability in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), saying all stakeholders should work together to move the electoral process forward and maintain peace in the region.
The remarks came during a high-level meeting held in Lahore under his chairmanship to review the political and administrative situation in AJK. Senior leaders of PML-N from Azad Jammu and Kashmir and the party's central leadership attended the meeting.
Discussing the Kashmir issue, Nawaz Sharif said PML-N has a clear and consistent stance that the people of Jammu and Kashmir should be granted their right to self-determination in accordance with United Nations resolutions.
He said PML-N has always prioritised the constitutional rights, fundamental freedoms and development of the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Expressing concern over the current political situation in AJK, Nawaz Sharif said the Interim Constitution Act of 1974 guarantees full civil liberties and that all efforts and resources should be directed toward the welfare of the people. He said political and democratic struggles for public rights should remain within the constitutional framework.
The former prime minister said PML-N would continue to play its role alongside all democratic forces for the betterment of the people and the strengthening of democratic institutions.
Nawaz Sharif also expressed grief over the recent loss of lives in AJK, saying he was deeply saddened and shocked by the deaths of both government personnel and civilians. He said such a situation should not have arisen and stressed the need for national unity and brotherhood.
"This country belongs to all of us, and we all have to live in it like brothers," he said.
He paid tribute to the sacrifices of the Kashmiri people, saying they had rendered eternal sacrifices for Pakistan and that Pakistan has always considered the Kashmiri struggle as its own cause and supported it at every level.
Appealing for calm, Nawaz Sharif urged the people of Jammu and Kashmir to maintain peace while preserving their ideological and intellectual ties with Pakistan. He called on protesters to end sit-ins and engage in meaningful dialogue.
He expressed hope that the people of AJK, the AJK government, the Government of Pakistan and all political parties would work together to restore peace and advance the electoral process in the region.
Referring to the broader national situation, Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan's government and defence institutions had achieved unprecedented successes in the current circumstances. He said these achievements should encourage politics based on brotherhood, tolerance and unity in both Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting also expressed sorrow over the loss of precious lives in recent incidents in AJK and offered prayers for the departed.
During the meeting, Nawaz Sharif appreciated the services of Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Engineer Amir Muqam, praising his efforts in organising election campaigns in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir and acknowledging his tireless work for the party.