SIALKOT: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said he never claimed that the people of Rawalakot are not Kashmiris, reaffirming his support for the people of Jammu and Kashmir during a public gathering in Sialkot.
Addressing a political rally, the senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader said the government would not allow the reserved seats for Kashmiri refugees to be abolished, describing them as the rightful stakeholders of the Kashmir cause.
“I never said that the people of Rawalakot are not Kashmiris,” Khawaja Asif stated, rejecting reports suggesting otherwise.
He also said that slogans in favor of Pakistan continue to be raised in Indian-administered Kashmir, which he described as evidence of the people’s continued attachment to Pakistan.
Commenting on political developments in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the defence minister criticized the Action Committee, accusing it of promoting unrest and violence.
He claimed that the committee’s demands had already been accepted in the past and said the government had previously provided it with Rs24–25 billion to address its concerns.
Khawaja Asif further alleged that members of the Action Committee were “suspicious” and operating with foreign funding, though he did not present evidence to support the claim during his speech.
Expressing confidence in his party’s electoral prospects, the minister said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz would form the next government in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The remarks came during a political address as parties continue campaigning ahead of the upcoming electoral process in the region.
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