- AJK PM Chaudhry Abdul Majeed demands apology from PM, sacking of ministers’ over killing of PPP worker during political clash in Kotli
- Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid says provocative statements of AJK PM caused violence
As the war of words escalates between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government in the Centre and the Pakistan People’s Party-led government in Azad Kashmir over the killing of a political worker in Kotli on Saturday, Azad Kashmir Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed upped the ante by demanding an apology from Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and seeking the expulsion of PML-N cabinet ministers, who he said, were responsible for the killing of the PPP worker.
The demand by the Azad Kashmir premier evoked strong criticism from the federal government with Federal Minister for Information Senator Pervaiz Rashid on Monday accusing the Azad Kashmir premier of inciting violence during the rally by making provocative statements.
Responding to a point of order raised by Leader of the Opposition Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, Rashid offered the leader of the opposition to become arbitrator and said he and the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) prime minister would bring the record of the incident before him.
He said he had great respect for the opposition leader and hoped that Khursheed Shah would do justice in the matter. He said all the parties had accepted the judicial commission formed by the AJK government.
“We should wait for the findings of the judicial commission.”
The minister said that his party had full confidence in the judicial commission, adding if the judicial commission held them responsible, they would accept its decision.
“Those responsible for the tragic incident should be taken to task in the light of commission’s findings,” the minister said.
Rashid said although the commission had not yet given any report into the incident, the AJK government had arrested many workers of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz besides registering cases against them.
He said that the unfortunate incident occurred due to provocative language used in the PPP rally in Kotli.
He recalled that he went to Azad Kashmir first time as a political worker to meet with party workers in Bhimber on January 11.
“We were given a newspaper of Azad Kashmir which carried a threatening and provocative statement of the AJK prime minister. We did not respond to his statement.”
He said one day he received a phone call from PM Azad Kashmir late night.
He said, “The prime minister said something on which I said that you are holding an important office and your post does not suit the words uttered by you.” He made remarks which cannot be repeated in the House, the minister added.
Rashid said posting of AJK police and maintaining law and order was not their responsibility but the AJK prime minister was responsible for it.
The minister said the prime minister of Azad Kashmir should know that PPP rally in Nakial passed near the property of relatives of Sardar Sikandar Hayat.
The language used by the participants of the rally caused the unfortunate incident.
Responding to a point of order, the information minister said fight also erupted in the public meeting of PM Azad Kashmir.
People beat up each other and the reason for that was also the attitude of AJK PM, he added.
