Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Sunday expressed disappointment over complaints raised by the Pakistan Peoples Party during the Azad Jammu and Kashmir elections, saying he did not expect the party’s regional government to provide grounds for such grievances.
Addressing a meeting of the PML-N AJK parliamentary party in Murree, Nawaz said the political environment that had emerged in AJK for the first time was a matter of concern and appeared to be the result of successive governments’ failure to fulfil their responsibilities.
“There was a PPP government in the state, and we did not expect there would be an opportunity for a complaint from the PPP,” Nawaz said, referring to complaints that had reached him during the election process.
He noted that AJK had a PPP prime minister and stressed that political opponents should always be treated with respect.
“We have always treated our opponents well. Political differences should not be turned into enmity,” he said, warning that the traditionally peaceful political environment of AJK should not be allowed to deteriorate.
Nawaz congratulated PML-N candidates who won the AJK elections and praised those who failed to secure victory, saying they had put up a strong fight against their opponents.
He said some complaints had reached him during the election process and that he was saddened by them.
The PML-N president also expressed disappointment over the defeat of some of his party’s candidates and said the reasons behind their losses should be examined.
“We had good candidates. If they have lost, we should look into the reasons for their defeat,” he said.
Nawaz said the PML-N had already secured a majority in the first two phases of the AJK elections and praised senior party leader Amir Muqam for running an energetic campaign.
He urged party workers not to lose heart and said the party should now focus on delivering on its commitments to the people of AJK.
Nawaz said the current situation in AJK was partly a consequence of previous governments failing to fulfil their responsibilities, adding that the PML-N would seek to transform the region along the lines of Punjab.
“The people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir are looking towards Punjab,” he said, stressing that greater funds should be allocated for the development of the region.
He said the welfare of the people of AJK would remain the PML-N’s priority and pledged to fulfil the promises made during the election campaign.
“We have no room to betray the public’s trust. If we fail to deliver in Azad Kashmir, people will become disappointed,” he warned.
Nawaz said the region needed better roads and hospitals, greater employment opportunities and measures to promote tourism.
He said people visiting Punjab and seeing its roads and hospitals wanted similar facilities in AJK.
He also called for laptops and scholarships for students in AJK and said farmers in the region should be provided with a farmers’ card.
Nawaz said the PML-N would work towards forming a government in AJK and improving public services and infrastructure.
The former prime minister also highlighted the geographical challenges faced by AJK, saying a helicopter was essential for the mountainous region.
He called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to provide a helicopter to the AJK government to facilitate administration and emergency services.
Nawaz also referred to Pakistan’s economic situation, recalling that the US dollar was trading at around Rs100 during his tenure as prime minister before subsequently rising sharply.
Without naming the government directly, he criticised a previous administration for raising slogans and making promises that, he said, were never fulfilled.
“I do not want to go into criticism, but Pakistan has never seen such a situation as it did under the government that raised those slogans,” he said.
Nawaz said Pakistan was now moving forward and expressed confidence that the country would overcome its problems.
He said the government must implement its manifesto in full and continue efforts to stabilise the economy.
The PML-N president said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had inherited extremely difficult circumstances when he assumed office but had since been working to improve the situation.
“Today, conditions are improving day by day,” he said, adding that efforts were being made to put Pakistan on a sound economic footing and achieve economic self-reliance.
Nawaz also said the government was seeking to free Pakistan from dependence on the International Monetary Fund and establish the country as an economically sovereign state.
He urged the PML-N’s Azad Kashmir leadership to remain focused on governance and public welfare, saying the party could not afford to disappoint voters who had placed their trust in it.
