PM vows to address Azad Kashmir’s grievances after violent protests over civil rights
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said the government would resolve the issues faced by the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on priority after it reached an agreement with a civil rights alliance that led days of protests and unrest in the northern region.
The clashes erupted after the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC) announced an indefinite “lockdown” last month to demand the removal of perks for government officials, the abolition of 12 assembly seats reserved for Kashmiri migrants from the Indian-administered side of the Himalayan territory and royalty payments for hydropower projects.
Protests turned violent as demonstrators clashed with police in several towns, leaving six civilians and three policemen dead. The crisis prompted the administration in Islamabad to dispatch a delegation to the territory to assist the regional administration in negotiations with the protesters.
“All matters in Kashmir have been resolved amicably, and the concerns of the Kashmiri people will be addressed,” Sharif said in a statement after meeting members of the federal negotiation committee.
