RAWALPINDI, Jul 07 (APP):Senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, Khawaja Saad Rafique on Tuesday said the PML-N enjoyed mass public support in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and urged Kashmiris residing in Pakistan to participate actively in the democratic process by casting their votes in large numbers in the upcoming AJK elections. He said the popularity of political parties should be decided through the ballot box rather than street politics, …
Khawaja Saad Rafique urges Kashmiris to vote, claims mass public support for PML-N in AJK
RAWALPINDI, Jul 07 (APP):Senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, Khawaja Saad Rafique on Tuesday said the PML-N enjoyed mass public support in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and urged Kashmiris residing in Pakistan to participate actively in the democratic process by casting their votes in large numbers in the upcoming AJK elections.
He said the popularity of political parties should be decided through the ballot box rather than street politics, adding that a high voter turnout would send a strong message of Kashmiris’ commitment with Pakistan.
Addressing a corner meeting at Haji House in Rawalpindi in connection with the upcoming AJK elections, Rafique said the PML-N has always upheld constitutional governance, democracy and national interests and would continue working for the rights, peace, stability and development of the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s unwavering political, diplomatic and moral support for the people of Kashmir, he said the bond between Pakistan and Kashmir “can never be broken.” He urged all stakeholders to resolve the ongoing unrest in AJK through dialogue and constitutional means instead of confrontation.
Rafique said no individual or group should be allowed to hold the peace of Azad Kashmir hostage, stressing that governments were not changed and public grievances were not resolved through street confrontations or citywide shutdowns, but through negotiations, democratic institutions and constitutional processes.
Calling the recent situation in AJK concerning, he said state institutions must address the crisis within the framework of the Constitution and the law. He added that accepting certain demands in haste had encouraged further demands, making the situation increasingly complex.
Referring to his family’s Kashmiri roots, Rafique said Kashmiri migrants who settled in Punjab during and after the creation of Pakistan were welcomed with respect and dignity and should never be portrayed negatively.
Describing the Kashmir dispute as the unfinished agenda of the Partition of the Indian subcontinent, he said Pakistan has consistently supported the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination at international forums. He also paid tribute to the sacrifices made by Pakistan’s armed forces in defending the country and supporting the Kashmir cause.
The meeting was attended by Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) Malik Abrar and Tahira Aurangzeb, Senators Anusha Rahman and Nasir Mahmood Butt, Adviser to the Punjab Chief Minister Ali Dar, Member of the Punjab Assembly (MPA) Naeem Ejaz, PML-N PP-16 Senior Vice President Shazia Sajid, the party’s nominated AJK Legislative Assembly candidate Muhammad Yaseen Lone, Raja Muhammad Siddique, party leaders, workers and a large number of supporters.
Speaking on the occasion, MNA Malik Abrar expressed confidence that PML-N candidates would win all four AJK seats.
MNA Tahira Aurangzeb described the party as a symbol of public service and development, saying Rawalpindi has always remained a strong political hub of the PML-N.
Senator Nasir Mahmood Butt urged voters to support the party’s candidates and endorse the vision of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the July 27 AJK elections.
MPA Naeem Ejaz, AJK Legislative Assembly candidate Muhammad Yaseen Lone and Raja Muhammad Siddique also addressed the gathering, appealing to the electorate to vote for PML-N candidates in the upcoming elections.
