- PML(N) led by Shehbaz Sharif faces protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after months of violence
- Rana Sanaullah called 99% of protesters patriotic and plans talks with banned JAAC group
- PML(N) won 25 seats in PoK elections amid violence and allegations of rigging
Set to take charge of the so-called government in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the PML(N), headed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his brother Nawaz, seems to be on the back foot in dealing with protesters in the region, following months of violence. Prime Minister's adviser Rana Sanaullah on Saturday said 99 per cent of the protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) are "patriotic" people.
He further said the political party's representatives would soon meet members of the banned Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) - a collective of activists that have been spearheading protests in the region.
Till a few days ago, the political party maintained that members of the banned terrorist group Tehrik-e Taliban were present among the protesters, to justify the government's crackdown on them.
Addressing a rally on Saturday, ahead of the third phase of "elections" in PoK, Sanaullah said: "Ninety-nine per cent of those associated with the Joint Awami Action Committee are our patriotic brothers." India maintains that the entire Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are integral and inalienable parts of it. New Delhi also asserts that Pakistan has been in "illegal and forcible occupation" of parts of these Union Territories.
Sanaullah further said on Saturday, "When the PML(N) government will be formed with two-third majority, it will sit with [Joint Awami] Action Committee representatives. Their first task will be to resolve this issue." In the two phases of the polls held so far, the establishment-backed PML(N) has won 25 seats - crossing the majority mark in the so-called assembly in PoK, which has 45 elected seats, amid widespread violence and allegations of massive rigging.
For the PML(N), it was a direct contest with the PPP, which is its coalition partner in the federal government.
In the third and last phase, polls will be held on four seats on Monday, while elections in seven constituencies have been indefinitely postponed.
The PoK region has been witnessing protests for more than two months.
The JAAC, which has been spearheading the protests, has activists from all walks of life - students, traders, transporters, lawyers, social workers, etc. The group was banned by the regional government in June.
Their main demand was the abolition of the 12 contentious refugee seats in PoK. The JAAC alleges that the establishment manoeuvres these seats to install a so-called prime minister of its choosing in PoK.
The protests triggered a severe crackdown by security forces.
Amnesty International and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan have expressed concerns over reports of violence in the region, calling on the authorities to probe the incidents.
The tensions escalated as the three-phase elections began on July 27.
The JAAC has alleged that more than 40 people, including women and children, were killed since the elections began. Besides, it claims that 400 protesters have been killed since the first week of June.
The Pakistan government, however, denied any deaths of civilians and dismissed the JAAC figures, calling them "overly exaggerated".
On August 7, the UN expressed concern over the security situation in PoK as it highlighted the need for accountability for actions against people engaging in peaceful protest.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
