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                        <title>The Express Tribune</title>
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			<title>PML-N candidate elected unopposed on reserved seat</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2624983/pml-n-candidate-elected-unopposed-on-reserved-seat</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2624983/pml-n-candidate-elected-unopposed-on-reserved-seat#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 26 05:18:56 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[M A Mir]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Azad Jammu &amp; Kashmir]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2624983</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PML-N emerged as the largest parliamentary party in the recently concluded general elections]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Abdul Rehman Arain was elected unopposed on the reserved seat for overseas Kashmiris in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly (AJKLA) after no other candidate from any party filed nomination papers for the seat.

At least 12 candidates for the remaining reserved seats submitted their nomination papers to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Election Commission (AJKEC) on Thursday, setting the stage for polling on August 24. For the four reserved seats for women, the PML-N has nominated Maryam Zaman, Maryam Idrees, Sehrish Qamar and Riffat Abid.

Syed Iftikhar Ali Gilani will contest the technocrat seat, while Maulana Mazhar Saeed will contest the seat reserved for Ulema and Mashaikh. Pakistan Peoples Party PPP candidates who submitted nomination papers for the women&rsquo;s reserved seats were Farzana Yaqoob, Shaheen Kausar Dar and Zobia Khurshid.

Sahibzada Zulfikar Ali submitted papers for the technocrat seat, while Hafiz Tariq Mehmood will contest the seat reserved for Ulema and Mashaikh. The reserved-seat electoral process assumes particular importance for the formation of the next AJK government.

The PML-N emerged as the largest parliamentary party in the recently concluded general elections, winning 25 of the 45 directly elected seats, while the Pakistan Peoples Party secured 12 seats. With Abdul Rehman Arain&rsquo;s unopposed election to the overseas Kashmiris seat, the PML-N&rsquo;s strength in the Assembly has increased to 26 seats, further strengthening its position ahead of the formation of the next government.

According to the Election Commission schedule, candidates filed their nomination papers on August 20, while the final list of candidates will be published on August 23. Polling for the remaining reserved seats is scheduled to be held on August 24 at the AJK Legislative Assembly here.

The reserved seats are expected to further strengthen the PML-N&rsquo;s position in the 53-member Assembly. With its expected share of reserved seats and the support of Awami Dast-e-Bazu member Sajid Iqbal Abbasi, the party&rsquo;s strength is projected to reach 32 members, giving it a comfortable majority.

The PPP is expected to secure two reserved seats for women, taking its projected strength to 14. With Abdul Rehman Arain&rsquo;s unopposed election and the nomination process for the remaining seats now underway, the PML-N has moved a step closer to securing the numbers required to form the next government in Azad Jammu and Kashmir without the support of any other allied party.]]>
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			<title>PML-N candidate elected unopposed to reserved seat for overseas Kashmiris in AJK Legislative Assembly</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2624968/pml-n-candidate-elected-unopposed-to-reserved-seat-for-overseas-kashmiris</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2624968/pml-n-candidate-elected-unopposed-to-reserved-seat-for-overseas-kashmiris#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 26 18:04:20 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[MA Mir]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2624968</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PML-N moves a step closer to securing the numbers required to form the next government in AJK]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Abdul Rehman Arain on Thursday was elected unopposed to the reserved seat for overseas Kashmiris in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly (AJKLA) after no other candidate from any party filed nomination papers for the seat.

At least 12 candidates for the remaining reserved seats submitted their nomination papers to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Election Commission (AJKEC) on Thursday, setting the stage for polling on August 24.

For the four reserved seats for women, the PML-N nominated Maryam Zaman, Maryam Idrees, Sehrish Qamar and Riffat Abid. Syed Iftikhar Ali Gilani would contest the technocrat seat, while Maulana Mazhar Saeed would contest the seat reserved for Ulema and Mashaikh.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidates who submitted nomination papers for the women&rsquo;s reserved seats were Farzana Yaqoob, Shaheen Kausar Dar and Zobia Khurshid. Sahibzada Zulfikar Ali submitted papers for the technocrat seat, while Hafiz Tariq Mehmood would contest the seat reserved for Ulema and Mashaikh.

Read: PML-N issues tickets to seven candidates for reserved seats in AJK assembly

The reserved-seat electoral process has assumed particular importance for the formation of the next AJK government. The PML-N emerged as the largest parliamentary party in the recently concluded general elections, winning 25 of the 45 directly elected seats, while the PPP secured 12 seats.

With Abdul Rehman Arain&rsquo;s unopposed election to the overseas Kashmiris seat, the PML-N&rsquo;s strength in the Assembly has increased to 26 seats, further strengthening its position ahead of the formation of the next government.

According to the Election Commission schedule, candidates filed their nomination papers on August 20, while the final list of candidates would be published on August 23. Polling for the remaining reserved seats is scheduled to be held on August 24 at the AJK Legislative Assembly in Muzaffarabad.

The reserved seats are expected to further strengthen the PML-N&rsquo;s position in the 53-member Assembly. With its expected share of reserved seats and the support of Awami Dast-e-Bazu member Sajid Iqbal Abbasi, the party&rsquo;s strength is projected to reach 32 members, giving it a comfortable majority.

Read More: PML-N&#39;s position in AJK further strengthens

The PPP is expected to secure two reserved seats for women, taking its projected strength to 14.

With Abdul Rehman Arain&rsquo;s unopposed election and the nomination process for the remaining seats now underway, the PML-N has moved a step closer to securing the numbers required to form the next government in AJK without the support of any other allied party.]]>
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			<title>Independent AJK lawmaker Sajid Iqbal joins PML-N after election upset</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2624364/independent-ajk-lawmaker-sajid-iqbal-joins-pml-n-after-election-upset</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2624364/independent-ajk-lawmaker-sajid-iqbal-joins-pml-n-after-election-upset#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 26 09:09:28 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[M A Mir]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Islamabad]]></category><category><![CDATA[Azad Jammu &amp; Kashmir]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2624364</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Rana Sanaullah says PML-N is three seats away from a two-thirds majority in the AJK Assembly]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Awami Dast-e-Bazu Member of the Legislative Assembly Sajid Iqbal Abbasi, who won from LA-14 Dhirkot in the recently held Azad Jammu and Kashmir&nbsp;elections, has decided to support the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), strengthening the party&rsquo;s position as it moves to form the next government in AJK.

Iqbal&rsquo;s decision came days after his decisive victory in the LA-14 (Western Bagh/DhirKot) constituency, where he emerged as an independent candidate backed by Jamaat-e-Islami and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

According to unofficial results from 213 of the constituency&rsquo;s 214 polling stations, Iqbal secured 40,702 votes, defeating Atiq Ahmed Khan, who received 19,542 votes, by more than 21,000 votes. PML-N&rsquo;s Faisal Azad secured 3,000 votes, while PPP&rsquo;s Mubashar Ejaz received 2,800.

The result was seen as a major upset, ending the decades-long political dominance of the Sardar Atiq Ahmed Khan family in the constituency. The family had held significant political influence in parts of AJK for more than seven decades.

The announcement was made by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah during a press conference alongside PML-N leaders. He said Abbasi had become part of the PML-N team and would work with the party for the development of his constituency.

&ldquo;Both Raja Faisal Ejaz and Sajid Iqbal will work together like brothers for the development of the Dhirkot constituency,&rdquo; Sanaullah said, referring to the PML-N candidate who contested against Abbasi&nbsp;in LA-14.

He said the PML-N respected the verdict of the people of LA-14 and welcomed Abbasi&rsquo;s decision to support the party for the development of the constituency.

Sanaullah said the people of AJK had expressed confidence in the PML-N, particularly in Muzaffarabad and Mirpur divisions and expressed hope that the party would eventually secure a two-thirds majority in the Legislative Assembly.

He said AJK urgently needed development and the new government would have the mandate and authority to take decisions within the framework of the Constitution and the law.

Referring to the overall election process, the PML-N leader said around 56%&nbsp;of voters had participated in the elections, describing the turnout as evidence of public confidence in the democratic process across AJK.

On protests against the election results, Sanaullah said the protesters were also considered brothers and that 99%&nbsp;of them were patriotic. &ldquo;Our Kashmiri brothers have as much right over Pakistan as citizens of any other part of the country,&rdquo; he said.

Responding to objections raised by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) over the election results, he urged political parties to adopt legal channels instead of making allegations.

&ldquo;The Election Commission and the law are there and decisions should be accepted in accordance with the Constitution and the law,&rdquo; he said.

Sanaullah maintained that no one had the authority to alter the mandate given by the people, adding that the AJK assembly would be constituted in accordance with constitutional and legal provisions.

He said the new government would be empowered to make decisions within the constitutional framework.

Asked about the issue of new provinces, Sanaullah said he would give a detailed response on the matter at a press conference.

He also said PML-N leader Amir Muqam could not attend the press conference due to ill health.

PML-N AJK President Shah Ghulam Qadir welcomed the decision, congratulating Abbasi on extending support to the party and describing it as an important development for the development of the Dhirkot constituency and the resolution of public issues.

Qadir also congratulated the AJK Election Commission, particularly Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Ghulam Mustafa Mughal, on conducting the elections and appreciated the role of the security forces in ensuring the electoral process.

He said Abbasi&rsquo;s cooperation with the PML-N was a positive development for the party and the incoming government.

Speaking on the occasion, Abbasi announced his alliance with the PML-N and support for the new government, saying he would stand by the PML-N both inside and outside the AJK assembly.

He said he had accepted the invitation extended by the PML-N and decided to join hands with the party. He also thanked PML-N President Nawaz Sharif for honouring him and providing him with an opportunity to work with the party.

Abbasi said there was disappointment among the people of AJK at present, which, he added, would be overcome collectively.

&ldquo;There is no need to be disappointed. We will work together to address the problems of the people,&rdquo; he said, adding that he would continue to serve the people of his constituency and stand with the PML-N inside and outside the Assembly.

PML-N AJK Secretary General Tariq Farooq welcomed Abbasi&rsquo;s decision on behalf of the party leadership and workers, saying his alliance with the PML-N would further strengthen political cooperation for the formation and functioning of the new government in AJK.

Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Mustafa Bashir Abbasi and Murtaza Javed Abbasi were also present at the press conference.

PML-N eyes two-thirds majority

Sanaullah said the PML-N would have 33 seats following the elections and needed to win three of the seven remaining seats to reach 36, which he described as a two-thirds majority.

&ldquo;Thirty-six is the two-thirds majority. After these elections, the PML-N will have 33 seats, and if we secure three of the seven seats where elections are going to be held, God willing, the PML-N will have a two-thirds majority,&rdquo; he said.

Polling for the reserved seats will be held on August 24 and are not filled through direct public voting but are elected by newly elected members of the Legislative Assembly. Of the eight reserved seats, five are allocated to women, one to Ulema and Mashaikh, one to overseas residents of AJK, and one to technocrats and other professionals.

Sanaullah said seven general seats remained to be contested, although one had fallen vacant following the death of the winning candidate. He expressed hope that the PML-N would secure three additional seats.

The remaining constituencies, covering Rawalakot, Poonch and Sudhnoti, are expected to go to the polls later, potentially by August 20, subject to the prevailing political situation.

Read: AJK polls: Sajid Iqbal wins LA-14 as PML-N, PPP lead in key constituencies

Development mandate

Sanaullah described the PML-N&rsquo;s expected mandate as &ldquo;the need of the hour&rdquo; given the situation in AJK, saying the region needed greater attention to its development needs.

&ldquo;This was the mandate for which the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, appealed to the people of Kashmir,&rdquo; he said, referring to Nawaz Sharif&rsquo;s addresses in Muzaffarabad and Mirpur.

&ldquo;The situation in AJK needs to be controlled, and development is needed there,&rdquo; Sanaullah said, adding that voters had given the PML-N a mandate following Nawaz&rsquo;s appeal for development in the region.

He said the party wanted to replicate in AJK the development initiatives undertaken by the PML-N government in Punjab. &ldquo;The people of AJK have sent forward a very good team. God willing, we will fulfil the promises that the PML-N has made,&rdquo; he said.

The electoral process for the 2026 general elections in AJK concluded on August 15 with the completion of polling and announcement of results in the final two constituencies in Bagh, where the PPP and PML-N secured one seat each.

With the Bagh results, the PML-N has emerged as the largest parliamentary force in the AJK Legislative Assembly with 25 seats, while the PPP stands as the second-largest party with 12 seats.

The final phase of polling was completed through re-polling at 23 polling stations in LA-15 Bagh-II and LA-16 Bagh-III, bringing the election process across AJK to a close.

In LA-15 Central Bagh, PPP candidate Sardar Zia-ul-Qamar defeated PML-N&#39;s Mushtaq Minhas, securing 17,118 votes against his rival&#39;s 15,227. Zia-ul-Qamar won the seat by a margin of 1,891 votes after re-polling was held at nine polling stations.

In LA-16 Eastern Bagh, PML-N candidate Sardar Mir Akbar Khan won with 20,796 votes, defeating PPP&#39;s Sardar Qamar-uz-Zaman, who received 16,963 votes. Mir Akbar Khan secured the seat by a margin of 3,833 votes.

Read More: AJK sets August 24 polls for reserved seats

The results further strengthened the PML-N&#39;s position in the AJK Assembly and put the party in a strong position to form the next government. It secured the largest number of directly elected seats in the three-phase election, while the PPP emerged as the principal opposition force.

The PML-N is also expected to gain six additional reserved seats, including seats for women and special categories such as Ulema-o-Mashaikh, overseas Kashmiris and technocrats. These seats are expected to further increase the party&#39;s strength in the assembly.

The 2026 elections were held in three phases across AJK, with the PML-N maintaining a strong performance throughout. The party won a majority of the directly contested seats, while the PPP secured several key constituencies and retained a significant parliamentary presence.

The victories of Sardar Zia-ul-Qamar and Sardar Mir Akbar Khan brought the final two outstanding constituencies into the assembly tally, with the PPP and PML-N taking one seat each.

With 25 seats currently secured, the PML-N holds a clear advantage in the race to form the government. Its expected gains from reserved and special seats are likely to further consolidate its position in the assembly.

The PPP, with 12 seats, is set to become the main opposition force, while the remaining political groups and independents could play a role as the process of government formation begins.]]>
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			<title>PML-N secures 25 seats in AJK assembly as election process concludes</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2624068/pml-n-secures-25-seats-in-ajk-assembly-as-election-process-concludes</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2624068/pml-n-secures-25-seats-in-ajk-assembly-as-election-process-concludes#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 15 Aug 26 16:47:38 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[MA Mir]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2624068</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PML-N strengthens its position to form AJK government as final Bagh results give it 25 seats against PPP’s 12]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The electoral process for the 2026 general elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir concluded on Saturday with the completion of polling and announcement of results in the two remaining constituencies of Bagh, with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) securing one seat each.

With the Bagh results, the PML-N has emerged as the largest parliamentary force in the AJK Legislative Assembly with 25 seats, while the PPP stands second with 12 seats.

The final phase of polling was completed following re-polling at 23 polling stations in LA-15 Bagh-II and LA-16 Bagh-III, bringing the main electoral process across AJK to an end.

Read: Political tensions simmer in AJK&#39;s LA-17 Haveli constituency

In LA-15 Central Bagh, PPP candidate Sardar Zia-ul-Qamar defeated PML-N&rsquo;s Mushtaq Minhas after re-polling was held at nine polling stations. Zia-ul-Qamar won and got 17,118 votes, while PML-N managed only 15,227 and lost the election by 1,891 votes.

In LA-16 Eastern Bagh, PML-N candidate Sardar Mir Akbar Khan secured 20,796 votes against PPP&rsquo;s Sardar Qamar-uz-Zaman, who polled 16,963 votes. Mir Akbar won by 3,833 votes.

The outcome further strengthened the PML-N&rsquo;s position in the AJK assembly and placed it in a strong position to form the next government. The party secured the largest number of directly elected seats across the three-phase election, while the PPP retained its position as the principal opposition force.

The PML-N is also expected to gain six additional seats reserved for women and special categories, including seats for Ulema-o-Mashaikh, overseas Kashmiris and technocrats, further increasing its strength in the assembly.

The 2026 elections were conducted in three phases across AJK. The PML-N maintained a strong electoral performance throughout the process, winning a majority of the directly contested seats, while the PPP secured several important constituencies and maintained a significant parliamentary presence.

Also Read: AJK SSP says JAAC &#39;abducted&#39; 8 highway police personnel, vows &#39;no leniency&#39; in response

The victories of Sardar Zia-ul-Qamar and Sardar Mir Akbar Khan gave the PPP and PML-N one seat each from the final two constituencies awaiting completion of polling.

With 25 seats currently secured, the PML-N enjoys a clear advantage in the race to form the government. The party&rsquo;s expected gains from reserved and special seats are likely to further consolidate its parliamentary position.

The PPP, with 12 seats, is set to emerge as the main opposition force in the new AJK assembly, while the remaining political groups and independent members are expected to assume significance as the process of government formation gets underway.]]>
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			<title>Nawaz seeks to ease tensions with PPP, says political differences should not become hostility</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2624062/nawaz-seeks-to-ease-tensions-with-ppp-says-political-differences-should-not-become-hostility</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2624062/nawaz-seeks-to-ease-tensions-with-ppp-says-political-differences-should-not-become-hostility#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 15 Aug 26 13:55:54 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2624062</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Urges PM Shehbaz to fund roads, hospitals and jobs in AJK, saying AJK should progress at same pace as Punjab]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[With political tensions heating up between the ruling PML-N and its coalition partner, the PPP, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif on Saturday sought to defuse the situation, saying political differences among rivals were common during elections but should never descend into personal animosity.

Addressing a party convention in Murree, the PML-N president congratulated the winners of the recent elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), while offering his condolences to the defeated candidates and urging them to examine the factors that led to their loss in the region.

Nawaz also expressed disappointment over the recent developments, noting that complaints from the PPP had been &ldquo;upsetting&rdquo;.

&ldquo;We have always maintained cordial relations with our political opponents. Differences are part of politics, particularly during elections, but they should not reach a point where they breed animosity,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;That is not appropriate.&rdquo;



آزاد کشمیر میں سیاسی اختلاف کو دشمنی میں تبدیل نہیں ہونا چاہیے۔ ریاست کا ماحول ہمیشہ افہام و تفہیم کا رہا ہے اسے برقرار رکھنا ہم سب کی ذمہ داری ہے۔ انتخابات میں کامیاب اور ناکام ہونے والے تمام امیدواروں کو خراجِ تحسین پیش کرتا ہوں۔ جن ساتھیوں کو شکست ہوئی، ان کی شکایات اور شکست&hellip; pic.twitter.com/q8tmEUOduK
&mdash; PMLN (@pmln_org) August 15, 2026


He said the PML-N had run a strong campaign amid intense competition but had not expected complaints from the PPP, which governs AJK.

He said the political atmosphere in AJK had traditionally been cordial and should not be allowed to deteriorate.

Nawaz also expressed disappointment over the defeat of some PML-N candidates, saying the party had fielded strong candidates who had contested the elections with courage.

&ldquo;We may lose a seat, but we will not lose our courage, God willing,&rdquo; he said, adding that the party should examine the reasons behind the defeats.



سیٹ ہار سکتے ہیں، آپ نے حوصلہ نہیں ہارنا۔ میدان مار سکتے ہیں، میدان نہیں چھوڑنا ۔ پہلے دو مرحلوں میں عوام نے مسلم لیگ ن کو اکثریت دے کر اعتماد کا اظہار کیا ہے۔ اب اس اعتماد کو خدمت میں بدلنا ہماری ذمہ داری ہے۔ شہباز شریف نے پنجاب کی ترقی کی بنیاد رکھی اور مریم نواز نے اسے آگے&hellip; pic.twitter.com/n2EuLpnDcj
&mdash; PMLN (@pmln_org) August 15, 2026


He noted that the AJK elections were being held in three stages and said the third phase had yet to be completed, while the PML-N had secured a majority in the first two phases.

&ldquo;This is a great blessing from God. We are very grateful that the people have once again placed their trust in us,&rdquo; he said.

Nawaz, however, stressed that the party now had a responsibility to honour that trust.

&ldquo;God forbid, if despite winning the first two rounds we fail to deliver, I think the people of Azad Kashmir will be upset. Their anger would be justified, and we need to look at the matter ourselves,&rdquo; he said.

He called for accelerated development in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), urging the federal government to provide the region with maximum possible funds for roads, hospitals, employment, tourism and agriculture.

The former prime minister said successive governments had failed to fulfil their responsibilities and meet the aspirations of the people, regardless of their political affiliation.

&ldquo;Successive governments have not been able to fulfil their responsibilities or meet the aspirations and wishes of the people, regardless of which party they support,&rdquo; he said.

Nawaz said the people of AJK deserved the same pace of development being witnessed in Punjab, where, he said, the foundations for development had been laid during the tenure of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and were now being advanced by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

He said improving the lives of people in AJK and resolving their problems should be the government&rsquo;s foremost responsibility.

&ldquo;Our first duty should be to fulfil the trust placed in us by the people,&rdquo; Nawaz said, warning that failure to deliver on the promises made during the first two rounds of the election would leave voters disappointed.

&ldquo;If we fail to deliver on the victory we have secured, the people of Azad Kashmir will be upset, and their anger would be justified,&rdquo; he said, adding that the PML-N needed to &ldquo;look at the matter honestly&rdquo; and address the reasons behind any public discontent.

Nawaz calls for Punjab-like development in AJK

Nawaz urged PM Shehbaz, who was also present at the gathering, to allocate maximum funds for AJK so that roads and hospitals could be built and employment opportunities created.

He called for greater investment in tourism and the establishment of industries, while stressing the need to give agriculture &ldquo;full attention&rdquo;.



Azad Kashmir should receive the maximum possible funds so that roads and hospitals can be built here, people can get employment, and just as agricultural loans are being provided in Punjab, where those who want to do something are receiving loans, and people are getting loans for&hellip; pic.twitter.com/s3gpn4x6lb
&mdash; PMLN (@pmln_org) August 15, 2026


He suggested extending to AJK schemes similar to those being implemented in Punjab, including agricultural loans, housing finance and other initiatives aimed at helping people improve their livelihoods.

&ldquo;People want to see roads like those in Punjab being built here in Azad Kashmir. They want hospitals, laptops and scholarships for their children, as well as farmer cards and employment opportunities,&rdquo; he said.

Nawaz said AJK should not lag behind any province in terms of development and expressed his desire to see the region reach the level of development achieved in Punjab.

He also urged the federal government to revive projects proposed under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) for AJK.

Among other proposals, he called for extending the highway from Islamabad and Murree to Muzaffarabad and said a proposed rail link from Rawalpindi-Islamabad to Murree could eventually be extended towards Muzaffarabad.

Nawaz also asked the prime minister to provide a helicopter to the AJK government, saying the mountainous terrain made it difficult for officials to travel to remote areas.

&ldquo;Because this is a mountainous region, reaching every area is extremely difficult. A helicopter would enable the prime minister and the government to reach people, inspect development schemes and determine whether our agenda is being implemented,&rdquo; he said.

Nawaz congratulated PML-N leaders and workers who participated in the AJK election campaign, particularly Ameer Muqam and Rana Sanaullah, saying they had worked tirelessly and travelled to areas where reaching voters was difficult.

He stressed that the formation of the AJK cabinet should be based on merit, integrity and honesty.

&ldquo;The cabinet should be formed purely on merit, integrity and honesty. This is extremely important,&rdquo; he said, adding that he would personally oversee the process and would also ask PM Shehbaz to monitor it.

The PML-N supremo also praised the prime minister&rsquo;s efforts to improve the country&rsquo;s economic situation, saying Pakistan was moving forward rather than backwards.

He claimed that during his tenure as prime minister, the rupee-dollar exchange rate had remained around Rs104 and said the currency had subsequently depreciated significantly.

Nawaz said he did not want to engage in criticism of previous governments but maintained that the condition of the country at that time had been unprecedented in his experience.

He said the situation had improved after Shehbaz became prime minister and expressed hope that Pakistan would soon overcome its economic difficulties.

He said the government was working to make Pakistan economically self-sufficient and eventually free it from dependence on the International Monetary Fund.

Reiterating his commitment to the promises made during the AJK election campaign, he said he would extend full cooperation to the regional government. &ldquo;I will try to fulfil the promises I made during the election campaign and will fully cooperate with the government here,&rdquo; he said.

He added that his objective was to see &ldquo;a new Azad Kashmir&rdquo; emerge through sustained development and better public services.]]>
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			<title>AJK PML-N chief rejects PPP's rigging allegations in polls, terms them 'baseless'</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2622444/ajk-pml-n-chief-rejects-ppps-rigging-allegations-in-polls-terms-them-baseless</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2622444/ajk-pml-n-chief-rejects-ppps-rigging-allegations-in-polls-terms-them-baseless#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 06 Aug 26 15:45:40 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[MA Mir]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Shah Ghulam Qadir says party is set to form a stable government in Azad Jammu and Kashmir]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Shah Ghulam Qadir on Thursday dismissed the Pakistan Peoples Party&#39;s (PPP) allegations of irregularities as &quot;baseless&quot;, saying the election results reflected the confidence reposed in the PML-N by the people.

Speaking to party office-bearers and workers from across AJK and among refugees from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) residing in Pakistan, Qadir congratulated party supporters on&nbsp;a &quot;resounding victory&quot;.

He said the PML-N, under the leadership of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, would soon establish a stable government in AJK and usher in a new phase of development and public welfare.

&quot;The development projects previously undertaken in AJK are a testament to the PML-N&#39;s performance and we remain committed to resolving people&#39;s problems at their doorstep,&quot; he said.

With the final phase of polling in Rawalakot Division scheduled for August 10, Qadir urged party workers to help maintain peace and order during the election process and play a positive role in easing public concerns.

Read: AJK Election Commission notifies results of 21 constituencies in second phase of legislative assembly polls

Describing Rawalakot as the land of &quot;brave and resilient people,&quot;&nbsp;he appealed to voters in the division to support the PML-N in the upcoming polling, expressing confidence that the party would secure a clean sweep in the region.

Commenting on the opposition&#39;s criticism of the electoral process, Qadir dismissed the PPP&#39;s allegations of irregularities as &quot;baseless&quot;.

He maintained that polling in Mirpur Division, Muzaffarabad Division and the 12 refugee constituencies reserved for Kashmiri refugees from IIOJK settled in Pakistan had been free and fair, adding that voters had expressed their confidence in the PML-N through the ballot.

He also criticised the PPP, saying the party should focus on the performance of its government in Sindh rather than targeting the PML-N.

Several party leaders, including AJK Legislative Assembly member Raja Muhammad Riasat Khan, former minister Sardar Farooq Sikandar, Kashmir Council member Malik Muhammad Hanif and other senior PML-N figures, attended the meeting and congratulated Qadir on the party&#39;s electoral performance in Muzaffarabad Division, Mirpur Division and the refugee constituencies for Kashmiris from IIOJK settled in Pakistan.]]>
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			<title>Black Day observed across IIOJK, around the world on Youm-e-Istehsal Kashmir</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2622394/black-day-observed-across-iiojk-around-the-world-on-youm-e-istehsal-kashmir</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2622394/black-day-observed-across-iiojk-around-the-world-on-youm-e-istehsal-kashmir#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 06 Aug 26 09:36:53 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Despite India's narrative framing of integration, the move remains a violation of UN resolutions]]>
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				<![CDATA[Kashmiris in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), along with members of the Kashmiri diaspora across the world, observed August 5 as a &quot;Black Day&quot; to protest the Modi government&#39;s 2019 decision to revoke the region&#39;s special constitutional status, the Kashmir Media Service (KMS) reported on Thursday.

Seven years ago, the Modi-led Indian parliament revoked Articles 370 and 35A, ending the &ldquo;special autonomous status&rdquo; of IIOJK. Despite India&#39;s narrative framing the move as a historic achievement of peace and integration, the reality remained that the country violated the United Nations (UN) resolutions regarding the disputed territory.



KMS asserted that to highlight the blatant international law violation, Kashmiris in IIOJK observed the anniversary of the August 5, 2019 constitutional changes with protests, a shutdown in parts of the region, and renewed political calls for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir&#39;s statehood as per the statements issued by political leaders of the valley.

Read: Govt slams Al Jazeera&#39;s AJK coverage



The media outlet reported that residents in the IIOJK, along with members of the Kashmiri diaspora in several countries, observed the &quot;Black Day&quot; to protest New Delhi&#39;s decision to revoke the region&#39;s special constitutional status in 2019. It also said that solidarity events were organised in different parts of the world.

According to KMS, Indian authorities deployed thousands of police and paramilitary personnel across the occupied valley to prevent anticipated demonstrations.&nbsp;Despite the security arrangements, the media outlet stated that protesters gathered at several locations and a shutdown was observed following a call by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference in the IIOJK.



It further said Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) leaders and legislators marched from Anantnag to Udhampur, while Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Mehbooba Mufti led a torchlight procession and sit-in protest in Srinagar.

Protesters also called for the release of Kashmiri political detainees, it added.

In New Delhi, members of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) held a demonstration outside parliament demanding the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir&#39;s statehood, KMS confirmed.



The media service said the JKNC, Congress and other opposition lawmakers reiterated their demand for the restoration of the region&#39;s constitutional and democratic rights.

Read more: Pakistan renews Kashmir pledge

Speaking on the illegal constitutional move by the Indian government, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq described August 5 as &quot;a bitter reminder of the disempowerment of the people of Jammu and Kashmir&quot; and said Kashmiris remained committed to protecting their identity and fundamental rights despite continuing challenges.

KMS also quoted the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir as saying, &quot;Seven years have passed, but we have not forgotten the wounds inflicted by India.&quot;

The news outlet further reported that Sikh organisations, including Dalit, Other Backwards Classes, Minorities, and Adivasi (DOMA), and several migrant organisations criticised India&#39;s 2019 decision.



KMS cited political analysts as saying that the revocation of IIOJK&#39;s special status had failed to weaken public sentiment and had instead worsened the region&#39;s political and economic situation. It attributed to them claims that commercial losses had exceeded Rs150 billion, nearly 496,000 people had lost jobs, unemployment had risen above 25%, and 144,500 handicrafts and tourism workers lost work opportunities.

It also alleged that 2.5 million non-local voters were registered in Muslim-dominated areas of the IIOJK by the Indian government to influence governance.

KMS also lamented that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and the Public Safety Act (PSA) continued to be used extensively in the region, but despite Indian aggression, the people of Kashmir continue to fight for their freedom.]]>
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			<title>Fact check:Viral video does not show police allegedly beating relatives of AJK protesters</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2622075/fact-check-viral-video-does-not-show-police-allegedly-beating-relatives-of-ajk-protesters</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2622075/fact-check-viral-video-does-not-show-police-allegedly-beating-relatives-of-ajk-protesters#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 04 Aug 26 15:51:56 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Fact Check By iVerify]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[iVerify Pakistan confirmed the video shows an electricity theft incident, not police assault on a family]]>
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				<![CDATA[Multiple Indian propaganda accounts were sharing a video since July 28, 2026, across social media platforms, claiming that it shows the police beating relatives of protesters in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. However, the clip shows a scuffle between Punjab Police and a local in Lahore.

Clashes and riots have rocked AJK since June 2026, with confrontations between protesters and law enforcement personnel in Rawalakot and Mirpur in the week beginning July 27, 2026, which reportedly resulted in several casualties. On August 3, 2026, AJK Information Secretary Muhammad Rashid Hanif said that seven law enforcement personnel, including those of police and Rangers, were martyred during recent unrest in the region, while international outlets have put the alleged toll of protester deaths at above 30.

Areas have also been subject to an internet and connectivity clampdown which has rendered verification difficult and limited the flow of information.

How it started

On July 28, an Indian propaganda account, based on its past posts, shared a video on X, claiming that it shows Pakistan police assaulting family members of protesters in AJK, with the following caption: &ldquo;Pakistani police in Kashmir has been brutal on the family members of protesters.&rdquo;

The post gained 257,300 views.

Another Indian account shared the same clip with the same caption, accumulating 80,700 views.

A Pakistani blogger, based on its bio, posted the same clip on Instagram with the following caption: &ldquo;Kashmir right now!!&rdquo;

The post attracted 83,000 views.

Indian journalist Abhijit Majumder also shared the same clip with the following caption: &ldquo;This is not Gaza. This is Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Which is why the world is silent today in spite of over 90 killings of innocent civilian protesters by Pakistani forces so far.&rdquo;

It garnered 36,300 views.

The video was shared by several other users on Threads; on X, such as here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here; collectively accumulating 34,000 views.

Methodology

A fact-check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its virality and keen public interest in the ongoing AJK protests.

Looking at the video showed that the personnel were not wearing the uniform of the AJK Police, which is follows a black-khaki colour pairing compared to the Punjab Police&rsquo;s dark olive green.



A reverse image search yielded the same video shared by a Facebook page on June 19, 2026, with the following description: &ldquo;The incident that occurred during an operation against electricity theft in Glaxo Town, near Nishtar Colony, is concerning. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has repeatedly stated that the Punjab Police and government institutions are servants of the public; even if someone has committed electricity theft, action against them should be taken in accordance with the law&mdash;not through violence or inappropriate treatment.&rdquo;



https://www.facebook.com/jnt.nzyr.wady.kshmyr/videos/%D9%86%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%B1-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D9%86%DB%8C-%DA%A9%DB%92-%D9%82%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%A8-%DA%AF%D9%84%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%B3%D9%88-%D9%B9%D8%A7%D8%A4%D9%86-%D9%85%DB%8C%DA%BA-%D8%A8%D8%AC%D9%84%DB%8C-%DA%86%D9%88%D8%B1%DB%8C-%DA%A9%DB%92-%D8%AE%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%81-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A6%DB%8C-%DA%A9%DB%92-%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%BE%DB%8C%D8%B4-%D8%A2%D9%86%DB%92-/27336314322699796/



A keyword search yielded multiple similar visuals shared by a separate Facebook page on July 19 with the same context.

A reverse image search yielded a longer video of the same clip shared by a Facebook user on July 22, which shows electricity cables in the hands of the security personnel, further corroborating the claim.



The longer video shows a poster in the background at the 57-second mark bearing the name Al-Rehman Science School and Academy.



A keyword search further confirmed that the school is located in Nishtar Colony, Lahore.



&nbsp;

The iVerify Pakistan team contacted Muhammad Zeeshan, a local general store owner on the same street whose shop number could be seen in the video, who said he witnessed the incident. He confirmed that, after being caught allegedly stealing electricity, the individual became violent and wielded an electric wire &mdash; the same wire seen in the hands of a police official in the video &mdash; prompting the police to respond.

Fact-check status: false 

The claim that a viral video shows police assaulting family members of protesters in AJK is false.

The video is from an older incident in Lahore and is entirely unrelated to the AJK situation.

This fact check was originally published by iVerify Pakistan &mdash; a project of CEJ-IBA and UNDP.]]>
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			<title>Information ministry accuses Al Jazeera of misrepresenting AJK elections</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2621799/information-ministry-accuses-al-jazeera-of-misrepresenting-ajk-elections</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2621799/information-ministry-accuses-al-jazeera-of-misrepresenting-ajk-elections#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 03 Aug 26 07:12:54 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2621799</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Reminds foreign media reporting outside Islamabad, Lahore &amp; Karachi requires prior approval under publicity guidelines]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Ministry of Information &amp; Broadcasting (MoIB) on Monday accused Al Jazeera of &quot;selective reporting&quot; on the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections, saying the broadcaster had sought to misrepresent the electoral process.

In a post on X, the ministry said, &quot;We have taken note of Al Jazeera&rsquo;s selective reporting from handpicked polling stations in Muzaffarabad today. Through carefully chosen timings and scripted statements from selected individuals, the channel has sought to misrepresent the AJK elections and the voting process.&quot;



We have taken note of Al Jazeera&rsquo;s selective reporting from handpicked polling stations in Muzaffarabad today. Through carefully chosen timings and scripted statements from selected individuals, the channel has sought to misrepresent the AJK elections and the voting process.
Such&hellip;
&mdash; Ministry of Information &amp; Broadcasting (@MoIB_Official) August 2, 2026


&quot;Such yellow journalism only confirms the agenda of external actors with vested interests who are attempting to delegitimise this electoral exercise and undermine the popular will of the people of Muzaffarabad and AJK, clearly demonstrated today in their rejection of anarchy and coercion,&quot; it added.

Meanwhile, the ministry reminded foreign media journalists that reporting assignments outside Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi require prior approval under the government&#39;s External Publicity Guidelines.

Also Read: PM Shehbaz congratulates PML-N leadership, candidates after second phase of AJK polls

In a post on X, the ministry said, &quot;In line with the External Publicity Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Foreign Media journalists are kindly reminded that reporting assignments outside Lahore, Islamabad, and Karachi require prior NOC, as per Guideline 8.3.&quot;



International Media in 🇵🇰 Pakistan

🚨 Important Notice 🚨

In line with the External Publicity Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Foreign Media journalists are kindly reminded that reporting assignments outside Lahore, Islamabad, and Karachi&hellip; pic.twitter.com/RHJ1uI3BSa
&mdash; Asad Nasir (@asadnasir2000) August 2, 2026


&quot;All concerned are requested to ensure compliance with the Guidelines,&quot; the statement added.

Clashes in AJK

The clashes in AJK have drawn widespread condemnation from political parties and rights groups following reports of deaths and injuries during protests.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan stated that it was &quot;deeply alarmed&quot; by the reports, emphasising that maintaining public order &quot;must never come at the expense of the right to life or the freedoms of peaceful assembly and expression&quot;. It called for a &quot;prompt, impartial and independent investigation&quot; into the reported deaths and injuries.

Opposition parties also condemned the violence. PTI demanded an &quot;immediate, independent, transparent and impartial judicial investigation&quot;, describing the reported deaths and injuries as an attack on &quot;human rights, democratic values and civil liberties.&quot;

TTAP denounced what it called the use of &quot;excessive force&quot; against protesters, while Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman described the firing on civilians as &quot;open terrorism&quot;.

AJK&#39;s 53-member legislative assembly includes 12 seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees &mdash; people who fled Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in 1947 and 1965 and are now scattered across Pakistan. Six seats represent refugees from the Jammu division (~434,000 people) and six from the Kashmir Valley (~30,000 people) &mdash; an already lopsided arrangement that many see as unfair.

The region witnessed one of its most turbulent periods in October last year when protests led by the JAAC erupted over demands for constitutional and governance reforms. At least nine people, including three policemen, were killed during the unrest.

The JAAC, which organised the protests and strike, had presented a wide-ranging charter of demands, including an end to the privileges enjoyed by the ruling elite, the abolition of 12 assembly seats reserved for refugees, and the scrapping of the quota system.

Two days after the violence, the government and the JAAC reached an agreement covering 12 core and 13 additional points. Under the accord, both sides agreed to constitute a high-level committee to examine the issue of refugee seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly.

The matter is at a deadlock at the moment, with the JAAC calling for the abolition of the seats while the government rejects the demand.

Elections held amid rigging allegations in first phase

Despite the extensive security arrangements, election day was overshadowed by allegations of rigging and sporadic violence, as coalition partners at the centre &mdash; the PML-N and the PPP &mdash; traded accusations of electoral interference throughout the day.

The PML-N first alleged pre-poll rigging in Kotli&#39;s LA-10 constituency after party leaders claimed polling staff and election material had been found at a private residence instead of the designated polling station. The Election Commission later confirmed it had arrested and suspended two presiding officers over the incident, replacing them with new officials and initiating legal proceedings under election laws.

The PPP, meanwhile, repeatedly accused the federal government and the PML-N of using state machinery to influence the polls, alleging armed supporters attempted to disrupt voting at several polling stations and demanding immediate intervention by the Election Commission. The party also complained that polling at one station in Kotli remained suspended for nearly two hours, depriving voters of their right to cast ballots.

Read More: Kashmir&#39;s future should be decided by the people of Kashmir: Bilawal

Tensions escalated further in LA-9 Kotli-II (Nikyal), where PPP worker Mukhtar Younus was killed during polling. The PPP alleged he was shot during incidents involving armed supporters of a PML-N candidate, while PML-N leaders disputed the party&#39;s account of the incident. Local authorities confirmed one person had died and two others, including the victim&#39;s father, were injured.

As the accusations intensified, senior leaders from both parties held competing press conferences. The PPP accused the federal government of interfering in the elections through development announcements and misuse of official resources, while the PML-N alleged the PPP was itself attempting to manipulate the vote, claiming ballot papers had been recovered from the residence of a rival candidate.

Throughout the day, the Election Commission maintained that strict action would be taken against any violations of the electoral code of conduct, saying irregularities and negligence would not be tolerated. Despite the controversies, polling concluded after the one-hour extension before vote counting began.

PML-N leads in second phase

The PML-N was leading in five constituencies in Muzaffarabad Division, while the PPP had won two seats and was ahead in another as preliminary results from the second phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections began to emerge on Sunday night.

According to results received so far, in LA-30 Muzaffarabad, PML-N candidate Dr Mustafa Bashir was leading with 17,521 votes, while PPP&#39;s Mubashir Munir Awan had secured 12,067 votes.

In LA-31 Muzaffarabad Khawra, results from 187 polling stations showed PML-N&#39;s Saqib Majeed in the lead with 24,496 votes, followed by PPP&#39;s Latif Akbar with 16,476 votes.

In LA-28 Lachrat, results from 93 polling stations put PPP candidate Bazal Naqvi ahead with 15,523 votes, while PML-N&#39;s Chaudhry Shehzad had secured 14,580 votes.

In LA-29 Muzaffarabad City, results from 136 polling stations showed PPP&#39;s Mukhtar Abbasi leading with 19,759 votes, while PML-N candidate Iftikhar Gilani had secured 16,400 votes.

In LA-25 Neelum Valley-I, results from 30 of 143 polling stations showed PML-N&#39;s Shah Ghulam Qadir leading with 12,486 votes, followed by PPP&#39;s Mian Waheed with 5,980 votes.

In LA-26 Neelum Valley-II, results from 40 of 135 polling stations showed PML-N candidate Shah Ghulam Qadir leading with 9,720 votes, while PPP&#39;s Mian Abdul Waheed was in second place with 8,950 votes.

In LA-32, PML-N candidate Farooq Haider was leading with 12,567 votes, while PPP&#39;s Ashfaq Zafar was in second place with 10,987 votes. In LA-33, PPP candidate Diwan Ali Khan had secured 9,180 votes, while Chaudhry Muhammad Rashid had obtained 7,893 votes.

PML-N dominates refugee seats

At LA-35 Jammu-II, PML-N candidate Chaudhry Muhammad Ismail won with 23,893 votes, while independent candidate Sardar Muhammad Ghiyas finished second with 5,868 votes, according to unofficial, provisional results from all 142 polling stations.

At LA-36 Jammu-III, PML-N&#39;s Muhammad Ahsan Raza emerged victorious with 27,218 votes from all 140 polling stations. PPP candidate Ahsan Ismail finished second with 12,980 votes.

At LA-37 Jammu-IV, PML-N candidate Maryam Javed won the seat with 28,664 votes, while Jammu Kashmir United Movement candidate Usman Aleem finished second with 22,827 votes, according to unofficial, provisional results from all 185 polling stations.

At LA-38 Jammu-V, unofficial, provisional results from 48 out of 115 polling stations showed PML-N candidate Zeeshan Ali leading with 5,483 votes, followed by PML-Q candidate Muhammad Akbar Chaudhry with 4,935 votes.

At LA-39 Jammu-VI, PML-N&#39;s Raja Muhammad Siddique was ahead with 10,981 votes, while PPP candidate Chaudhry Fakhar Zaman finished second with 5,081 votes, according to unofficial, provisional results from all 157 polling stations.

At LA-40 Kashmir Valley-I, PPP candidate Aamir Abdul Ghaffar was ahead with 2,914 votes, according to unofficial, provisional results from all 47 polling stations. IPP candidate Saleem Butt finished second with 136 votes.

At LA-41 Kashmir Valley-II, PML-N candidate Aamir Shah secured 1,804 votes, while independent candidate Saba Dewan finished second with 588 votes, according to unofficial, provisional results from all 19 polling stations.

At LA-42 Kashmir Valley-III, PML-N candidate Shaukat Ali Shah secured 1,524 votes, while PPP candidate Asim Sharif received 477 votes, according to unofficial, provisional results from all 43 polling stations.

At LA-43 Kashmir Valley-IV, PML-N candidate Yasin Lone secured 1,276 votes, followed by PPP candidate Javed Butt with 563 votes, according to unofficial, provisional results from all 10 polling stations.

At LA-44 Kashmir Valley-V, PML-N candidate Ahmad Raza Qadri was leading with 1,700 votes, while All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference candidate Mehr-un-Nisa was in second place with 650 votes, according to unofficial, provisional results from all 27 polling stations.

At LA-45 Kashmir Valley-VI, PPP candidate Abdul Majid Khan secured 3,448 votes, while All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference candidate Khawaja Muhammad Dilawar finished second with 823 votes, according to unofficial, provisional results from all 41 polling stations.]]>
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			<title>Viral Kashmir visuals. One media blackout: what an investigation found</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2621364/viral-kashmir-visuals-one-media-blackout-what-an-investigatio-found</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2621364/viral-kashmir-visuals-one-media-blackout-what-an-investigatio-found#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 26 16:37:42 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Fact Check By iVerify]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[As Azad Kashmir votes amid a communications shutdown, iVerify Pakistan traces what can be verified, and when it can’t]]>
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				<![CDATA[The situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir created an environment ripe for mis- and disinformation to spread freely from all sides, with old or doctored visuals or allegations against each other. Conditions such as the suspension of connectivity and curbs on reporting access created significant challenges for fact-checking efforts at times when it was most urgently needed to dispel falsehood and misleading information.

iVerify Pakistan investigated two narratives about visuals from the recent violence and found that the truth is not always what everyone is saying it to be, yet conclusively determining it is not always possible. An image said to be AI-generated was found to be apparently real, while a video being used as evidence of a &ldquo;staged&rdquo; stunt does not appear to be the case.

On July 28, just a few hours after polling in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) kicked off, a video began doing the rounds on social media, particularly X. The clip shows bloodied bodies lying in the middle of a road in the Mirpur district. &ldquo;Exposed,&rdquo; read the caption of the post, shared by an X user whose account features pro-state content. &ldquo;They were just lying down with red liquids thrown over them for a photo session. When the police neared and kicked, they got up. Fraud unveiled,&rdquo; it added.



The video quickly crossed 100,000 views, with shares multiplying by the thousands every hour. Several fact-checking accounts that are considered to be aligned with the state&rsquo;s narrative also shared the clip with similar captions. Most of them alleged the clip was staged. At the same time, an image, said to be showing the same incident, also began circulating on X, with the claim that the visual was AI-generated. The accounts sharing it alleged that the image was being spread to portray a false picture of the situation in AJK.

When iVerify Pakistan was alerted to the video and the image, both were already being contested from multiple directions, accused of being staged, AI-generated, or both, largely by accounts aligned with the state&rsquo;s narrative. Untangling that took two separate lines of inquiry.

On the image, the trail led backwards. Several fact-checking accounts had pointed to visual distortions &mdash; blurred objects, odd number plates &mdash; as proof the photo was AI-generated. But a search turned up an earlier, blurrier version of the same image, circulating nearly half an hour before the viral one, shared by several users, including PTI&rsquo;s official account and its chapters such as PTI Faisalabad, PTI Mardan and PTI West Punjab.



Running that older image through a set of AI-detection tools returned no indication it was synthetic, and a check for Google&rsquo;s SynthID watermark came back clean. When iVerify ran the older image through an AI enhancement tool, the output matched the sharper, more &ldquo;suspicious&rdquo; version that had gone viral &mdash; down to the same distorted details fact-checkers had cited as proof of fabrication. In other words, the image wasn&rsquo;t AI-generated evidence of a staged protest; it was a real photo that had likely been run through an enhancement tool, which introduced its own artefacts along the way.





The video, meanwhile, took a different route. A keyword search surfaced the same clip published by BBC Urdu on July 29, described as clashes in Rawalakot and Mirpur amid &ldquo;conflicting claims regarding casualties&rdquo;.





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A reverse image search then turned up a clearer version of the same moment, along with footage of the same incident from other angles. None of it showed what the &ldquo;fraud unveiled&rdquo; caption described: no one stood up and ran off when police approached. Instead, officers could be seen dragging two people toward a police vehicle, both visibly limping and unable to walk unassisted.





Other angles picked up the sound of gunshots and people fleeing in panic, with one clip showing a police vehicle positioned in the direction the crowd was running from. Taken together, the visual evidence points away from the &ldquo;staged&rdquo; narrative that crossed 100,000 views.



میرپور نہتی عوام پر سیدھی گولیاں pic.twitter.com/Xx8MsHvMgj
&mdash; The Power Of PTI (@ThePowerOfPTI) July 28, 2026




میرپور میں پرامن مارچ پر فورسز کا کریک ڈاؤن
کشمیریوں کی لاشیں اور جھنڈے سڑکوں پر پڑے ہوئے ہیں 😭 pic.twitter.com/Ib2o0EW9om
&mdash; AtharIshtiaq (@AtharSb12) July 28, 2026




آزاد کشمیر میں پاکستان سے آئے ہوئے پنجابی دہشت گردوں نے آج پھر قتلِ عام کیا۔ میرپور میں سڑکوں پر درجنوں لاشیں بکھری پڑی ہوئی ہیں۔

کشمیر کا پاکستان کے ساتھ رشتہ اب ہمیشہ کے لیے ختم ہو گیا ہے۔ pic.twitter.com/stuh5DdmWw
&mdash; Pakistan Walli (@pakistanwalli) July 28, 2026


None of this amounts to a full account of what happened in Mirpur that day because restablishing whether the visuals actually show what was claimed requires something forensics alone can&rsquo;t provide: confirmation from someone who was there. At iVerify, a key element of the investigation that goes into any and every fact-check involves confirmations, testimonies, and on-the-ground reportage, especially in times of conflict. This time, though, the team was unable to reach a single source inside Mirpur to confirm the authenticity of the video and the claim. Two days later, we are still struggling to get hold of any information at all.



This footage shows armed men in civilian clothing moving alongside security forces.
The presence of armed civilians operating alongside security personnel raises serious questions about their identity, role, and the circumstances surrounding their deployment.
We call on the&hellip; pic.twitter.com/BMiIt95izb
&mdash; JKJAAC (@JKJAAC_) July 29, 2026






For over a month, it has been challenging to reach locals or correspondents in the region; WhatsApp messages to correspondents are on a single tick, and calls are barely getting through. As it votes in its most &ldquo;contested&rdquo; election in years, AJK has also been cut off from the outside world &mdash; a combination that has turned fact-checking from a routine editorial task into something closer to a rescue mission.

The government has not addressed the allegations or reports of casualties at substantive length as well, while it accuses the JAAC of instigating the violence and harming security personnel.

The Mirpur video is one of several claims iVerify Pakistan has been unable to verify since polling began &mdash; each testing the limits of what fact-checking can do when a region goes dark.

Another example is videos appearing to show civilians in AJK opening fire on police. Some claimed they showed members of the now-proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee &mdash; a socio-political coalition at odds with the government since before the elections. Meanwhile, others alleged the men opening fire were security personnel dressed to look like ordinary citizens.



بلیک میل ایکشن کمیٹی کے دہشت گرد دیکھ لیں جو پولیس پر فائرنگ کر رہے ہیں اسکے جواب میں پولیس فائرنگ نا کرے تو کیا انکا پھولوں کے ہار پہنائے ؟ pic.twitter.com/8ELxIi45n1
&mdash; Muzamil (@muzamil_45) July 29, 2026




کشمیر کی یہ وڈیو دیکھیں ان سول کپڑوں میں لوگوں کو پولیس والے بندوقیں ہتھیار دیتے ہیں عوام میں شامل کر کے پھر میڈیا والوں کو وڈیوز بھجتے ہیں کہ دیکھو یہ شرپسند عوامی ایکشن کمیٹی والے ہیں یہی انہوں نے نو مئی کو پی ٹی آئی کے ساتھ کیا تھا اب کشمیر میں یہی گندہ کھیل کھیل رہے ہیں pic.twitter.com/M2ULmT0xHu
&mdash; Erum Jaffri (@ErumJavaid) July 29, 2026


Both claims rest entirely on interpreting the same footage, and neither can be tested without someone on the ground to say who the men in the videos actually were. The claim remains unverified, not because iVerify hasn&rsquo;t tried, but because the tools of open-source verification run out exactly where testimony would need to begin.

Fortunately, not every claim iVerify has encountered since polling began has run into the same wall. Some have been resolvable without a single call to the ground, serving as a reminder that the blackout, as severe as it is, hasn&rsquo;t stopped fact-checking entirely; rather, it has just narrowed what kind of fact-checking is still possible.

An image circulating widely on X claimed to show a large number of bullet casings recovered after security forces opened fire on peaceful protesters in Rawalakot. We did not require a source in the district to take it apart.



A closer inspection of the clip revealed that several of the people in the frame had anatomically implausible hands &mdash; missing or extra fingers, unnatural shapes &mdash; and one face appeared partially melted, a distortion common in AI-generated crowd scenes. The bullet casings themselves were oddly oversized and inconsistent in scale relative to the people around them, more like props than spent shells from small-arms fire.



Taken together, the artefacts were consistent enough with AI generation that the image could be assessed on forensic grounds alone, without anyone on the ground to vouch for it.



Similarly, a video claiming to show Punjab Police firing on citizens in Kashmir followed a similar pattern, though by a different route. It wasn&rsquo;t new: iVerify&nbsp;had already fact-checked the same clip once before, tracing it back to a police clash with protesters near the US consulate in Karachi in March 2026. Its reappearance now, recontextualised as footage from Rawalakot, showed that old material can be recirculated to fit a new crisis, and that a claim debunked once doesn&rsquo;t stay debunked in the timeline.

Given the nature of the unrest, this information isn&rsquo;t just circulating &mdash; it&rsquo;s actively feeding a divisive narrative on either side of an already polarised online discourse. In such a climate, there is no shortage of actors with a reason to keep the information war going, and every unresolved claim becomes fuel for both.

Verification, in this environment, isn&rsquo;t a formality; it&rsquo;s the only thing standing between a claim and its unchecked spread. But as these cases show, it is also becoming harder to do at exactly the moment it matters most, with the ground truth cut off by a blackout. Until that access is restored, the responsibility shifts to the people encountering this content before anyone else does. If a claim&rsquo;s authentication is dubious &mdash; if it cannot be traced, confirmed, or corroborated &mdash; it should not be shared.

This explainer was&nbsp;originally published&nbsp;by iVerify Pakistan &mdash; a project of CEJ-IBA and UNDP.

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			<title>Kashmir resolution vital for stability</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2557503/kashmir-resolution-vital-for-stability</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2557503/kashmir-resolution-vital-for-stability#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 23 Jul 25 20:41:04 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[NEWS DESK.]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Islamabad]]></category><category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[All Parties Hurriyat Conference Azad Jammu and Kashmir (APHC-AJK) chapter leader Altaf Ahmad Bhat has said that resolving the Kashmir dispute is vital for establishing lasting peace.

According to the Kashmir Media Service, Bhat made the remarks during a meeting in Islamabad with Babar Foundation Chairman Sardar Babar Abbasi and Sardar Lal Khan Abbasi. He urged the United Nations to implement its resolutions on Kashmir and grant the Kashmiri people their right to self-determination.]]>
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			<title>PMD issues flood, landslide warning as heavy rains expected in northern parts from Sept 26 to Oct 1</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2497969/pmd-issues-flood-landslide-warning-as-heavy-rains-expected-in-northern-parts-from-sept-26-to-oct-1</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2497969/pmd-issues-flood-landslide-warning-as-heavy-rains-expected-in-northern-parts-from-sept-26-to-oct-1#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 22 Sep 24 19:48:40 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[news.desk]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2497969</guid>
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				<![CDATA[Meanwhile, hot and dry weather is predicted for Balochistan and Sindh during this period]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Pakistan Meteorological Department issued a warning on Sunday about the potential for heavy rains from September 26 to October 1, which could lead to flooding and landslides, particularly in the low-lying and northern regions of the country.&nbsp;

The Met Office indicated that moist currents from the Bay of Bengal are expected to enter the upper parts of the country starting September 25, alongside a westerly wave that will approach from September 26.&nbsp;

&ldquo;Heavy rains may increase flow in local nullas/streams in Murree, Galliyat, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Kohistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Nowshera, Swabi, Islamabad/Rawalpindi and Northeast Punjab during the forecast period,&rdquo; the statement read.

Urban flooding is anticipated in low-lying areas of Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur, and Sialkot, while landslides could disrupt road access in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galliyat, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan throughout the forecast period.

In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, rain and thunderstorms are expected in regions including Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Buner, Malakand, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Peshawar, Swabi, Nowshera, Mardan, Charsadda, Kurram, Orakzai, and Kohat from September 26 to October 1.&nbsp;

Heavy rainfall is anticipated from September 27 to October 1 in Hangu, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Waziristan, and Dera Ismail Khan, with occasional breaks in precipitation.

In Punjab, the Met Office forecasts rain with thundershowers in Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Murree, Galliyat, Attock, Chakwal, Tala Gang, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Narowal, Hafizabad, Wazirabad from September 26 to October 1.&nbsp;

Heavy rains accompanied by thundershowers are expected in Sahiwal, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Nankana Sahib, Khushab, Sargodha, Mianwali, Chiniot, Faisalabad, Okara, Pakpattan, Kasur, and Bhakkar from September 27 to October 1.

In Azad Kashmir, rain with thundershowers is projected in Neelum Valley, Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber, and Mirpur from September 26 to October 2.

The northern region of Gilgit-Baltistan is also expected to experience rain and thunderstorms from September 26 to October 2, particularly in Diamir, Astore, Skardu, Gilgit, Hunza, Ghanche, and Shigar.

Meanwhile, hot and dry weather is predicted for Balochistan and Sindh during this period. However, isolated rain, wind, and thunderstorms are expected in Mirpurkhas, Tharparkar, Umerkot, and surrounding areas from September 26 to 28.

The Met Office cautioned that windstorms and lightning could damage fragile structures, including mud houses, electric poles, billboards, vehicles, and solar panels.&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>Outcry as India books Kashmiri father seeking son’s body under anti-terror laws</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2283247/outcry-as-india-books-kashmiri-father-seeking-sons-body-under-anti-terror-laws</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2283247/outcry-as-india-books-kashmiri-father-seeking-sons-body-under-anti-terror-laws#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Feb 21 09:52:08 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2283247</guid>
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				<![CDATA[Mushtaq Ahmed and six others, including his two brothers, were charged under India's harsh laws last week]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Indian police have charged a Kashmiri man seeking the body of his teenage son, who was martyred by the occupation forces in a fake encounter during the last week of December 2020, under the anti-terror law.

&ldquo;Police said Mushtaq Ahmed and six others, including his two brothers, were charged last week under India&rsquo;s harsh anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act,&rdquo; the Associated Press (AP) reported.

The victim, Athar Mushtaq Wani, along with two others was killed by Indian troops during a fake encounter in the Lawaypora&nbsp;area of Srinagar on December 30, 2020.

The Indian authorities had buried them in a remote graveyard about 115 kilometers (70 miles) from their ancestral villages.

&ldquo;Under a policy started in April 2020, Indian authorities have buried over 150 alleged Kashmiri rebels in unmarked graves, denying their families proper funerals. The policy has added to widespread anti-India anger in the region,&rdquo; the&nbsp;AP reported.

The young men&rsquo;s families have protested repeatedly seeking their bodies while insisting they were not militants and were killed in cold blood.

The killings and remote burial drew widespread public mourning. Videos on social media in which Ahmed sought his son&rsquo;s body triggered an outburst of emotions as thousands rallied behind a &ldquo;return the bodies&rdquo; campaign, it added.

&ldquo;Last month, Ahmed dug a grave for his son at his village, demanding that his body be exhumed and returned for burial at his ancestral graveyard. The grave remains empty,&rdquo; AP added.

Meanwhile, India is being vehemently criticised, both at home and abroad, for registering a case under draconian laws against a father of one of the three Srinagar fake encounter victims for demanding the body of his martyred son, Kashmir Media Servive (KMS) reported.

Following strong criticism by Hurriyat forum, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and former IIOJK Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, India is being grilled globally for booking the father for demanding his son&rsquo;s body.

Saudi Arabia based English Daily, Arab News, while quoting a Kashmiri human rights lawyer, Habeel Iqbal, said it had been a cruel decision to book the family under anti-terror laws.

&ldquo;A father demanding the dead body of his son is being booked under the anti-terror legislation is an instance where the law is being used as an instrument of oppression to create a sense of fear among citizens, an attempt to create a reign of terror in the minds of ordinary citizens,&rdquo; he added.

He pointed out that the policy of not returning the dead bodies of the youth was a &ldquo;violation of international armed conflict law and humanitarian law&quot;.

Describing the move as &ldquo;absurd,&rdquo; Delhi-based Kashmiri activist, Nasir Khuehami, told Arab News that: &ldquo;Since they couldn&rsquo;t silence Mushtaq, they booked him. If the intimidation doesn&rsquo;t work, they&rsquo;ll jail him with more fake cases.

This is the new Kashmir, where demanding the return of a son&rsquo;s dead body is an unlawful activity. &ldquo;Things are going from bad to worse. If the government believes that it can Indianise Kashmir by such acts, then it is living in a fool&rsquo;s world,&rdquo; he added.

Anuradha Bhasin, Jammu-based senior journalist and editor of the English newspaper Kashmir Times, said: &ldquo;This creates more alienations. If you close all space to seeking legal recourse to justice, if you close down all democratic spaces, if you shoot down messengers and those seeking justice then you are creating more alienation and lack of faith in the government.&rdquo;

Mushtaq Wani told Arab News: &ldquo;I demanded from the authorities whether they have any proof, any footage, or any camera evidence about my son&rsquo;s nefarious activities. I asked them to show that my son was a militant.&rdquo;

The newspaper wrote that despite protests by family members pleading the teenager&rsquo;s innocence, the local administration buried the three bodies in a remote graveyard more than 100 kilometers away from their native Pulwama district in south Kashmir, KMS added.]]>
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			<title>First NGMS spectrum auction for AJK, G-B held in Islamabad</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2322484/first-ngms-spectrum-auction-for-ajk-g-b-held-in-islamabad</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2322484/first-ngms-spectrum-auction-for-ajk-g-b-held-in-islamabad#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 29 Sep 21 06:36:23 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Total revenue generated from spectrum auction process stands at over $30 million]]>
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				<![CDATA[The first cellular spectrum auction for Next Generation Mobile Services (NGMS) in Azad Jammu &amp; Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) was successfully held on Wednesday at the&nbsp;Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA)&#39;s headquarters in Islamabad.

According to a press release issued by the authority, the electronic auction was participated in by two operators, CMPak (Zong)&nbsp;and PMCL (Jazz) for the 1,800 MHz band.

The electronic auction went up to 18 rounds and was concluded by declaring Zong as the winner of 10 MHz (2 blocks of 5 MHz) in 1,800 MHz band against the price of $14.398 million.

The communique further added that the spectrum sold in the 1,800 MHz band was 85 per cent of the total offered spectrum in the said band for AJK and G-B.

Furthermore, Telenor, Ufone and Zong have also won 1.2 MHz in 1,800 MHz band.

Telenor Pakistan was declared a winner in the 2,100 MHz band for a spectrum of 15 MHz against the set base price, the press release added. The spectrum sold in 2100 MHz band is 50 pc of the total offered spectrum in the said band, it said.

Read&nbsp;High-speed internet to boost work from home

The total revenue generated from this spectrum auction process for AJK &amp; GB stood at over $30 million.

&ldquo;PTA completed the auction process with the assistance of internationally reputed consultant JV Telconet / Frontier Economics who was on-board since April 2021, and conducted thorough consultation with cellular industry and other stakeholders,&rdquo; the press release stated, adding that the federal government constituted an Auction Advisory Committee in October 2020 under the chairmanship of (then) finance minister.

The Policy Directive was issued on August&nbsp;11, 2021 under which the PTA initiated the process for fair and transparent spectrum auction process ensuring consumer interests, the communique stated.

It concluded that the addition of the spectrum would help Cellular Mobile Operators (CMOs) to provide better data and voice services in the two regions currently being focused on the promotion of tourism.]]>
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			<title>India’s illegal actions in IIOJK pave way for international intervention: PM’s aide</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2283024/indias-illegal-actions-in-iiojk-pave-way-for-international-intervention-pms-aide</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2283024/indias-illegal-actions-in-iiojk-pave-way-for-international-intervention-pms-aide#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 07 Feb 21 13:34:08 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2283024</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[India is behaving like a rogue state and playing a role of spoiler in Afghan peace process, says Moeed Yusuf]]>
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				<![CDATA[New Delhi&rsquo;s unilateral actions in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) have paved the way for the international community to intervene and resolve the longstanding dispute, Adviser to Prime Minister on National Security Moeed yusuf has said.

In an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency, Yusuf reiterated&nbsp;Pakistan&#39;s commitment to peace, including with India, but called on the world to compel India to implement international law vis-a-vis Kashmir, i e, UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions that call for a plebiscite in the Muslim-majority region.

Expressing willingness to take things forward, the PM&rsquo;s aide said: &quot;Pakistan will take two steps if India takes one.&quot;

The Kashmir issue, he said, is a tragedy of human suffering and Pakistan has always stood and will continue to stand by the Kashmiris till their right to self-determination is exercised.

&ldquo;Yes, it&#39;s a territorial issue. But first and foremost, it is the human suffering Pakistan wants to stop.&rdquo;

He said the solidarity day was observed to prove that every Pakistani stands for the Kashmir cause. &ldquo;We may have our differences; we may have political ramblings and debates. But when it comes to standing for the Kashmiris, all are one.&rdquo;

Yusuf&nbsp;also said that the situation is not entirely hopeless as India is being censured every day in the Western media.

&ldquo;People are writing about human rights violations. It&#39;s not only Pakistan; the UN secretary-general has given two major statements, the OIC foreign ministers recently made a clear resolution, the UNSC held three discussions since August 5, 2019.&rdquo;

On August 5 last year, the Modi-led government removed the legal fig leaf from IIOJK&nbsp;when it abrogated Article 370 of its constitution, which accorded ostensible &ldquo;autonomy&rdquo; to the state, and bifurcated it into two &ldquo;Union Territories&rdquo; of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

He said Indian is behaving a like a rogue actor in the region and it is engaged in a conflict with not just Pakistan but with China and Nepal as well.

&ldquo;Not just Pakistan, there has been a conflict with China. Nepal has gotten up and passed parliamentary resolutions with a new map and taken on India. Bangladesh has raised its voice. Its relations are not good with Sri Lanka.

&ldquo;We even pointed out that India is being a spoiler in Afghanistan, undermining Pakistani sovereignty and stability. That&#39;s the adversity you&#39;re dealing with.&rdquo;

The PM&#39;s aide said IIOJK is under occupation and occupation forces have turned it into an open jail. &ldquo;Humans are not being treated like humans; that reality has to change for things to move forward.&rdquo;

Civil-military relations

Yusuf&nbsp;said Prime Minister Imran Khan&nbsp; is fully empowered to make all decisions and it is his right to call upon military for anything and everything that is constitutional.

&ldquo;Today, civilians are empowered to decide on everything, and both civil and military leaderships are on the same page,&rdquo; he added.

&ldquo;If our detractors or adversaries want to keep talking about the old narrative to project a negative perception of Pakistan, good luck to them. I am just telling you that a person with my background would not be sitting in this office if what you say had been true.

Dealing with international and domestic challenges

Yusuf also said the real genius of policymaking is manoeuvrings to your advantage in a constrained environment.

&ldquo;And yes, we are in a constrained environment.&rdquo;

He said there are challenges, but also the opportunities are vast. &ldquo;We are dealing with a country with one of the largest youth bulges in the world. It is incumbent upon us to turn this youth bulge into a real dividend. That&#39;s what we are working towards.&rdquo;]]>
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			<title>OIC panel reaffirms unwavering support to Kashmiris’ just struggle</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2282930/oic-panel-reaffirms-unwavering-support-to-kashmiris-just-struggle</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2282930/oic-panel-reaffirms-unwavering-support-to-kashmiris-just-struggle#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 06 Feb 21 17:25:17 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[APP]]>
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				<![CDATA[Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir holds virtual meeting in NY]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation&rsquo;s Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir, which held a virtual meeting in New York on Friday, reaffirmed its &ldquo;unwavering&rdquo; support to their &ldquo;just&rdquo; struggle for the exercise of their right to self-determination under the United Nations resolutions.

The meeting, in which permanent representatives of Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Niger and Azerbaijan took part, was organised to commemorate Kashmir Solidarity Day.

The OIC Secretary-General was represented by the Permanent Representative of the OIC Observer Mission to the UN in New York, Ambassador Agshin Mehdiyev.

A statement issued by the Contact Group in New York expressed &quot;deep concern&quot; at the continued violations by India of the fundamental human rights in IIOJ&amp;K.

The Contact Group called on the UN Secretary-General, the UN Security Council and the UN Human Rights Council to urge India to halt the human rights violations in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, rescind the unilateral and illegal measures taken on and after August 5, 2019, and to implement the Security Council resolutions calling for a plebiscite to enable the people of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir to exercise their right to self-determination.

At the outset, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi addressed the ambassadorial-level from Islamabad, apprising the members about the grave situation in IIOJ&amp;K, saying that the over 550 days of the New Delhi&#39;s siege had exacerbated the already dire humanitarian conditions for the people.

Qureshi said a unified political message to India from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) would be critical to help rescind Indian unilateral actions, end human rights abuses and seek a peaceful settlement of the Kashmir dispute.

The minister said the steadfast and resolute support of the organisation was a source of great strength to the Kashmiri people in their just and legitimate struggle for their inalienable right to self-determination.

&quot;We should forcefully demand India to rescind its illegal and unilateral actions in IIOJK; halt its egregious human rights violations; provide access to human rights organisations, including the UN fact-finding mission and the OIC IPHRC,&quot; he said.

The foreign minister also sought the OIC&rsquo;s role to seek a peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the United Nations Security Council&rsquo;s resolutions and wishes of the Kashmiri people.

He hoped that the Contact Group meeting would help identify action-oriented and practical steps to this end.

He said during its 47th session in Niamey last November, the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) mandated the Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir to meet regularly and to continue highlighting the Kashmir issue, including at the United Nations.

&quot;It is gratifying that the New York Chapter of the Contact Group is playing a prominent role in this collective effort,&quot; he said and lauded Azerbaijan, Niger, Saudi Arabia and Turkey for showing solidarity with the oppressed people of Jammu and Kashmir.

The leadership of the OIC Secretary General has been equally instrumental, he added.]]>
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			<title>PDM will praise me if offered NRO: PM</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2282934/pdm-will-praise-me-if-offered-nro-pm</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2282934/pdm-will-praise-me-if-offered-nro-pm#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 06 Feb 21 18:09:35 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Imran Khan says India tried to get Pakistan blacklisted by FATF but failed]]>
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				<![CDATA[Prime Minister Imran Khan has said the opposition parties that are part of an 11-party anti-government alliance &ndash; the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) &ndash; will declare him the best person on earth if he offers them an NRO &ndash; a reprieve from corruption cases.

&ldquo;They [opposition] will say that I am a gem of a person who has properly highlighted the issue of Kashmir, if they get an NRO,&rdquo; the premier said while talking to a private news channel in Kotli district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

The premier was apparently referring to the PDM&rsquo;s leader&rsquo;s Friday speeches at their Muzaffarabad rally to mark the Kashmir Solidarity Day. At the rally, the opposition leaders criticized the premier over his &ldquo;failure&rdquo; to stop India from illegally annexing Kashmir in August 2019.

The PM, while addressing a mammoth gathering in Kotli on Friday also lambasted the PDM and said: &quot;I&#39;m ready for any sort of agreement, but I will never offer an NRO to the looters. I will help the opposition out with organizing their long march anywhere they want, but will not give them the NRO&quot;.

Leaders of the opposition parties on Thursday geared up for a decisive battle against the PTI led government as they announced that the PDM would stage a long march to Islamabad on March 26.

Talking with reference to the long march, Imran on Saturday said the PDM may as well try a long march.

&ldquo;No matter what they do, I won&rsquo;t give them an NRO. They [PDM] must bear in mind that people don&rsquo;t support looters. People around the world have come out on the streets to protest against corruption. Has anyone ever come out on the streets to support corruption of political leaders,&rdquo; the premier said.

Criticizing the PML-N supreme leader, he said Nawaz Sharif is hiding abroad along with his children.

&ldquo;The families of his brother as well as their munshi [former finance minister Ishaq Dar] are also hiding abroad. They see people as fools but those who treat people as fools are the greatest fool themselves,&rdquo; the premier said.

India&rsquo;s failed attempts

Imran said India has failed in getting Pakistan placed in the blacklist of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an inter-governmental body that makes policies to curb money laundering and terror financing.

&ldquo;India is delusional if it thinks it can suppress Pakistan. New Delhi could never isolate Islamabad from the rest of the world. We have asked India to resolve the Kashmir conflict through dialogue,&quot; he said, adding that the issue of Kashmir has once again come into the limelight internationally.

In his speech at Kotli on Friday, Prime Minister Imran said the entire Pakistan stands united for the cause of Kashmir as it wants to bring an end to the atrocities and barbarities being committed by India.

&ldquo;Plebiscite in light of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions is the only solution to the Kashmir dispute. India could never win over the resolute Kashmiri people by using force.

&quot;World history tells that no army could ever win over a population. When a nation stood united, it defeated even the powerful armies. The United States, a super power, could not win in Vietnam... No super power could win in Afghanistan... France could not win over population in Algeria,&rdquo; he said.

Reiterating his commitment to raise the Kashmiris&#39; voice across the world as &quot;Ambassador of Kashmir&quot;, the prime minister said instead of suppressing the Kashmiri people, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s &ldquo;Hindutva ideology&rdquo; would destroy the Indian society.

&quot;The issue of Kashmir has been lingering since 1948. It could be resolved the way other international disputes like that of East Timor were resolved. [However] Kashmiris should be given the right to decide their fate,&quot; he said.

According to the premier, he invited Indian PM Narendra Modi several times to come to the negotiating table to resolve the crisis as dialogue is the only viable solution.

&quot;I realized following [February 2019] Pulwama incident that they [Indians] don&#39;t want peace or friendly ties [with Pakistan], and intend to use the issue for political gains. [But] I&#39;m still asking Modi to resolve the Kashmir issue through talks,&rdquo; the premier said.

Imran clarified that this invitation for dialogue should not be seen as a sign of weakness or fear.&quot;

&quot;Pakistan is the country of people who don&#39;t fear anyone but Allah; never have and never will,&quot; he maintained. &quot;Those who bow before Allah don&#39;t bow before anyone else.&quot; PM observed that today, no one who has the support of the Indian government could win elections from occupied Kashmir.]]>
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			<title>India misleading world on human rights violations in IIOJK: AJK president</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2282790/india-misleading-world-on-human-rights-violations-in-iiojk-ajk-president</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2282790/india-misleading-world-on-human-rights-violations-in-iiojk-ajk-president#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 05 Feb 21 13:14:44 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Sardar Masood says occupation forces is crushing defenceless, weak and unarmed Kashmiri people]]>
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				<![CDATA[Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan has said that India is misguiding the European governments and the US administration as well as other international institutions that it&rsquo;s fighting against &ldquo;terrorists&rdquo; in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

&quot;The reality is somewhat different and India in fact is crushing defenceless, weak and unarmed Kashmiri people, and depriving them of their homeland, businesses and livelihood and engaged in the genocide of the inhabitants of the disputed territory,&quot; he added.

The AJK president made these remarks on Friday while addressing Kashmir Solidarity Conference organised by Tehreek-e-Kashmir United Kingdom (TeK UK) President Faheem Kayani through video link, which was also participated and addressed by more than 40 UK members of parliament and leaders of the Kashmiri community living in Britain.

The UK MPs, who spoke on occasion and expressed solidarity with the people of IIOJK, were included, Robbie Moore, Gill Furniss, Tony Lloyd, Steve Baker, Nadia Whittome, Yasmin Qureshi, Richard Burgon, Stephen Timms, Sarah Owen, Rachel Hopkins, Paul Bristow, James Daly, Kate Hollern, Andrew Gwynne, Sara Britcliffe, Afzal Khan, Alison Thewliss, Rebecca Longbailey, Imran Hussain, John Spellar, Shabana Mahmood, Tahir Ali, Sam Tarry, Lillian Greenwood, Liam Byrne, Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, Lord Wajid Khan, Debbie Abraham, Hilary Benn, Paul Blomfield, Cheryl Gillan, and former member of European parliament Phil Bennion.




There is one voice missing from the Kashmir conflict &amp; that is of the Kashmiri themselves

On this #KashmirSolidarityDay I reaffirm my commitment to providing a voice for the voiceless

I promise to keep the plight of Kashmiris alive in Parliament (3/4) pic.twitter.com/MqgYVo6EIE
&mdash; Afzal Khan MP 💙 (@Afzal4Gorton) February 5, 2021



&nbsp;

President Masood urged them to use their influence, and convey to the governments of the western countries that if they failed to block the Indian military adventurism, the rule of law and the world order would no longer be in place in the world.

India, he said, is committing the crimes against humanity, and at the same time, it wants that the world not to speak about its inhuman actions.

The AJK president expressed gratitude to the UK and the European parliaments, media and the civil society for supporting the Kashmir cause but he also complained that the powerful governments of these countries are silent over the Indian repression and the worst violations of human rights as well as the genocide of Kashmiri people at the hands of the Indian army, and are thus showing negligence towards their international obligations. &quot;Their silence is encouraging India to trample human rights in Kashmir.&quot;

He asserted that the UK MPs must not support the Kashmiri people mere to seek votes from the Kashmiri community in their constituencies but they should support the Kashmiri people because they are being deprived of their civil liberties and rights.

Sardar Masood suggested that economic sanctions should be imposed on India for committing crimes against humanity in the Himalayan disputed territory, and the western countries should avoid making an investment in India until and unless it is ready to grant the right of self-determination to the Kashmiri people.

He prevailed upon the UN Security Council, the UN secretary-general and the UN Human Rights Commission to immediately take notice of the situation prevailing in IIOJK it is posing a serious threat to peace and security of not only the region but the entire world.

He reminded that both Pakistan and India are nuclear states, and the Indian brutalities are bringing both the countries close to a nuclear clash.]]>
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			<title>PDM leaders blame Imran for 'losing' Kashmir to India</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2282784/pdm-leaders-blame-imran-for-losing-kashmir-to-india</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2282784/pdm-leaders-blame-imran-for-losing-kashmir-to-india#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 05 Feb 21 12:05:26 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[This government will ruin Kashmir, says Fazl]]>
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				<![CDATA[Leaders of opposition parties, under the umbrella of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), blamed the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan for the revocation of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir&#39;s (IIOJK) special status by the right-wing Indian government of Narendra Modi.

Speaking at a public rally in Muzzafarabad on Friday, Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz said: &quot;Imran Khan had lost the case for Kashmir&quot;.

&quot;I want to ask you [Imran] what message do you bring for the people of Kashmir? Do you bring the message of handing over Kashmir to Modi, or, do you bring the message that you have lost the case of the Kashmiris?&quot;

Maryam, continuing her criticism of the premier, said whenever Kashmir will be mentioned or discussed, &quot;Imran Khan would be seen as the criminal&quot;.

&quot;It is the responsibility of the incumbent government to safeguard national interests, even if that government has been selected and is a fraud,&quot; the PML-N leader said as she continued to heap criticism on the PTI-led government. She added that the black spot of losing Kasmir to India will be forever present on PTI&#39;s record.

&quot;Their foreign policy was two-minutes of silence after Modi took over Kashmir, that is what Imran did.&quot;

She also criticised statements made earlier by the prime minister after his maiden trip to Washington and the meeting with then-president Donald Trump.

Referring to the upcoming Senate elections, Maryam alleged that &#39;show of hands&#39; is being pushed by the prime minister as &quot;he sees his members slipping away&quot;.

&quot;Always remember, a government is not accountable to the people if it steals their mandate.&quot;

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, addressing the rally, urged the people of Kashmir to &ldquo;reject&rdquo; the PTI government in the upcoming AJK elections.

&ldquo;Today, I want to say something to you. Listen to it intently. We rejected the 2018 elections. This is a rigged government. We will not accept the rigging in the Gilgit-Baltistan elections&hellip; and now they [this government] are preparing to rig the upcoming AJK elections,&rdquo; he said.

The JUI-F further called upon the participants to be wary of candidates who switch loyalties from their parties to the PTI before the AJK elections. &ldquo;Those who join the PTI for the elections will be considered the traitors of Kashmir, and will not be given votes,&rdquo; Fazl asserted.

Speaking of India&rsquo;s annexation of occupied Kashmir in August 2019, the PDM president observed that not only will India&rsquo;s unilateral action be rejected but, &ldquo;we will, hopefully, also wage a war to have the action reversed&rdquo;.

&ldquo;What has this government given to Pakistan that it will give to Kashmir?&rdquo; Fazl asked, warning the rally&rsquo;s participants of election the PTI government in the upcoming elections.

&ldquo;This government will ruin Kashmir,&rdquo; he added.

Fazl concluded his speech expressing hope that Kashmir will win freedom and will become a part of Pakistan.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, taking the podium after the JUI-F chief, said &quot;we will fight a 1,000 years for the freedom of Kashmir&quot;.

&ldquo;It is unfortunate that a country that saw a prime minister like Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the first woman prime minister of the Muslim world, Benazir Bhutto, is being run by a &lsquo;puppet prime minister&rsquo;,&rdquo; the party chairman stated.

Bilawal blamed Prime Minister Imran Khan of being helpless following the Indian annexation of Kashmir. &ldquo;Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly following the annexation, all this prime minister had to say was &lsquo;What can I do?&rsquo;&rdquo; Bilawal said.

&ldquo;Where past Pakistani prime ministers are remembered for their historic speeches given over the Kashmir issue, this reply is what the history will remember the incumbent prime minister for,&rdquo; he added.

The PPP chairman went on to say that if Pakistan is to respond to Modi&rsquo;s fascism, it will have to do through a powerful prime minister and not a &ldquo;puppet prime minister&rdquo;.

&ldquo;If we have to defeat Modi, we will need a democratic government, not a &lsquo;selected&rsquo; government&rdquo;, he went on to add.

Referring to the presidential ordinance regarding providing consular access and reviewing and reconsidering the case of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jahav, Bilawal accused PM Imran of trying to play representative to Indian spy instead of being the ambassador of Kashmir.

Bilawal said the PPP continues to stand with Zulfikar Ali Bhutto&rsquo;s slogan of referendum [in Kashmir], while blaming the incumbent government of following the governance example set by Gen Pervez Musharraf.

Furthermore, encouraging people to reach Islamabad next month, Bilawal said that, &ldquo;It has been decided in Islamabad that a long march will be held on March 26. And you will also reach Islamabad from Kashmir.&rdquo;

Further riling up the audience against PM Imran, the PPP chairman said that, &ldquo;This puppet government that keeps repeating the mantra of &lsquo;same page&rsquo;, is basically on the same page with Modi&rdquo;.

&ldquo;We also compete with each other as political parties in this country, but we also keep in mind the country&rsquo;s cultural ethos,&rdquo; he said while slamming the PTI government for arresting Maryam Nawaz and his aunt, Faryal Talpur &ndash; in separate incidents.

&ldquo;We will never stoop as low as this government, who is doing exactly what Modi does to his opponents,&rdquo; Bilawal added.
Concluding his speech, the PPP chairman stated that despite the circumstances, &ldquo;we will fight together to rid this country of this government. And we will win!&rdquo;]]>
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