ISLAMABAD: AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq challenged the leaders of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) to contest elections if they want to be treated as public representatives, accusing them of trying to “hold the state hostage” through coercion.
“If you claim to be a public representative, there are only two constitutional paths: local bodies or Legislative Assembly elections,” he said in an interview with PakistanTV Digital on Sunday. “A small group cannot hold the entire system hostage by force.”
While acknowledging the legitimacy of demands such as, affordable power and flour, he maintained that they were leveraging a popular narrative to create political space, he added that the government had honored constitutional limits and could not accept conditions that undermined state functioning.
“Their concerns about subsidies and relief are understandable, but issues such as perks, privileges, or unrealistic allocations must be weighed against our financial constraints,” he added.
Linking local demands to the wider regional context, he warned against forgetting the value of freedom: “Ask those across the LoC. Cheap electricity and cheap flour cannot come at the cost of our principles.”
He further noted that protests must remain peaceful, cautioning against attempts to paralyse civic life. “The constitution allows protest, but no one has the right to shut down the state,” Chaudhry underlined.
Skepticism over the UN
The PM also voiced skepticism about the United Nations’ role in resolving the Kashmir dispute.
“During the limited 32–33 years of my life, I have not seen the UN solve a single problem for the Muslim Ummah,” the PM remarked while speaking to Pakistan TV Digital. He added his expectations were now tied to Islamic regional groupings such as Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League.
Speaking during the UN General Assembly’s (UNGA) High-Level Week in New York, the AJK premier welcomed the recently-signed Pakistan–Saudi Arabia defence pact. He argued that the agreement would lend a new urgency to the Kashmir issue at both the OIC and Arab League levels.
“I believe that due to this, Kashmir will once again become a flashpoint in the Muslim Ummah… not only will it remain on the OIC platform, which it already had, but now it will be raised with full force in the Arab League as well,” the PM said.
Governance and salaries
Responding to criticism over rising public expenditure, the premier defended government salaries, saying that these were in line with service requirements. He insisted that his administration had prioritised development projects, particularly road construction and infrastructure in rural areas, despite limited fiscal space.
“The federation provides a certain volume of funds. We are utilising them transparently, whether for subsidies, health, education or infrastructure. But we cannot stretch beyond our means,” the PM noted.
Kashmir struggle
Turning to the broader Kashmir dispute, the AJK PM condemned India’s crackdown in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, highlighting restrictions on political and religious freedoms. He stressed that the struggle for self-determination would continue despite repression.
“The people of occupied Kashmir have not given up their struggle, even under severe restrictions. Our responsibility is to amplify their voices at every forum we can,” he said.
The premier reiterated that while the UN had historically fallen short, the onus now lay on Muslim states to leverage their collective strength.
“The UNGA week may end, but the Kashmiri struggle will not. It is our duty to keep it alive through every available platform,” he concluded.
