Now Reading: Sharif aide calls PoK protesters ‘patriotic’, shifts from terror line
-
01
Sharif aide calls PoK protesters ‘patriotic’, shifts from terror line
Sharif aide calls PoK protesters ‘patriotic’, shifts from terror line
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's adviser Rana Sanaullah said on Saturday that 99 per cent of protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) are "patriotic" people, and that PML(N) representatives would soon meet the…
The Story in Brief
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's adviser Rana Sanaullah said on Saturday that 99 per cent of protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) are "patriotic" people, and that PML(N) representatives would soon meet the banned Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). The remarks mark a sharp shift from the party's earlier stand that Tehrik-e Taliban members were among the protesters, a line used to justify a crackdown.
The JAAC has led protests for over two months against 12 contentious refugee seats, alleging the establishment uses them to pick a friendly premier. In two rounds of polling, PML(N) won 25 of 45 elected seats amid allegations of rigging. India has reiterated that PoK is an illegal occupation of its territory. The UN on August 7 voiced concern over the security situation.
The Indian Opinion
The about-turn by Sharif's party is pure damage control, not a change of heart. Calling protesters 'patriotic' one week and terrorists the next is the language of a government that has lost control of a region it claims to administer. The crackdown, the bans, the rigging allegations, none of that built goodwill. The test is whether any JAAC representative actually gets a seat at the table, and whether the refugee seats are scrapped. If those two things do not happen, this is just another slogan before the next crackdown.
Source: timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
