PPP opposes disbanding of AJK council

The federal government must not take any step in haste at the end of its term in power

Mamir May 25, 2018

A view of the AJK legislative assembly where a resolution of no-confidence against the PM was passed. PHOTO: EXPRESS

MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir chapter of Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) has opposed constitutional reforms and abolition of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Council and called for broad-scale consensus on the matter.

The demand was made by Azad Kashmir Pakistan Peoples Party President Chaudhry Latif Akbar and Leader of Opposition in AJK Legislative Assembly Chaudhry Muhammad Yaseen at a joint press conference.

"The new draft of the amendment in AJK Interim Constitution (Thirteenth Amendment) Act 2018 will render AJK government more powerless than empowering it," Latif Akbar said.

Prime Minister of Pakistan should take entire political leadership of Azad Jammu and Kashmir into confidence to create a broad consensus on the matter, he demanded.

The federal government must not take any step in haste at the end of its term in power, which is detrimental to the interest of the people and negatively affect struggle of Kashmiri peoples for their right to self-determination, PPP leader asserted.

He went on to say that PPP is in favour of such constitutional reforms that could give more legislative power to state legislature and executive authority to the state government.

“The way governments in Muzaffarabad and Islamabad intend to bring amendments in AJK Interim Constitution, which was not acceptable to our party, Akbar stated in categorical terms.

The Leader of Opposition Chaudhry Yaseen said that AJK Interim Constitution was given to the people of Azad Kashmir in 1974 after widely consulting the cross section of entire political spectrum and same exercise should be repeated in bringing any amendment in it.