Barrister Sultan Mahmood and Chaudhry Ashraf
MUZAFFARABAD: Two former prime ministers of Pakistan have called for continued efforts to root out terrorism from the country.
PPP leaders Yousaf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervez Ashraf, who were prime ministers in the previous government, were addressing an election rally in Mirpur, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, on Thursday.
Gilani said that operations against militants started during his regime. He said the offensive must continue till the elimination of the last terrorist. He also eulogised the sacrifices of the armed forces in the fight against terrorism.
“PPP believes that the Kashmir dispute must be settled in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
In his address, Ashraf hit out at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, saying he had never spoken in favour of the Kashmiris’ freedom struggle.
“There is no room for ‘song-and-dance’ politics in AJK. The people of Mirpur should reject the PTI candidate on March 29….he has a fake law degree,” Ashraf said.
AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed and his cabinet members also addressed the rally.
Polling for the by-election in Mirpur is scheduled on March 29. The PTI has pitted Barrister Sultan Mahmood against the PPP’s Chaudhry Ashraf and the PML-N’s Arshad Ghazi.
However, the ruling PML-N on Friday announced to withdraw its candidate in favour of the PPP candidate, leaving behind a two-horse race.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 28th, 2015.
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