AJK situation expected to settle down soon: PM

Islamabad
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday expressed deep concern over the ongoing situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), urging all parties to adopt a peaceful course of action to resolve the demands.
A day earlier, clashes broke out between protesters and law enforcement personnel during a protest against the increase in electricity tariffs in Mirpur.
A sub-inspector was martyred and 16 police officials including a station house officer (SHO) were injured
The prime minister emphasised that while debate, discussion, and peaceful protests were beauties of democracy, there was no tolerance for taking the law into one’s own hands and damaging government properties. “Unfortunately in situations of chaos and dissent, there are always some, who rush in to score political points,” he wrote on his X timeline.
He also spoke to the Prime Minister of AJK and directed all PML-N office bearers in the region to engage with the leaders of the action committee to find a peaceful resolution.
“Despite the efforts of detractors, the matter is expected to be settled soon,” he said.
Zardari urges to resolve issues through dialogue
Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari also urged all the stakeholders to exercise restraint and resolve the issues in AJK through dialogue and mutual consultation.
According to a press release from the President’s Secretariat, he added that the political parties, state institutions and the people of AJK should act responsibly so that hostile elements could not exploit the situation to their benefit.
The president expressed these views during a meeting with a delegation of members of the AJK Legislative Assembly belonging to Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), who called on him, at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Sunday.
The delegation briefed the president about recent happenings and unfortunate developments in AJK.
Talking to members of the AJK Legislative Assembly, Zardari highlighted that the demands of the people of AJK should be addressed as per law. He said that he would take up/discuss the grievances of the people of AJK with PM Shehbaz to find a way out of the current situation.
The president emphasised that priority should be accorded to the socio-economic uplift of AJK, with special focus on the development of health, education, tourism and infrastructure. He underlined the need to bring the far-flung areas at par with other developed areas of the country.
The president regretted the current situation and offered condolences over the unfortunate death of the police officer and prayed for swift recovery of all those who were injured in recent clashes.