Rana Sanaullah says Kashmir action committee has no political affiliation

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs and Senator Rana Sanaullah has stated that the Kashmir

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs and Senator Rana Sanaullah has stated that the Kashmir Action Committee is not affiliated with any political party and has shown no willingness to participate in elections. He also warned that anyone attempting to create unrest while acting on behalf of hostile interests would be dealt with according to the law.

Speaking during a Senate session, Rana Sanaullah discussed the background and activities of the Kashmir Action Committee. He explained that the committee first emerged in 2023 with demands related to wheat subsidies and electricity pricing. At that time, the group organized a sit-in protest in Muzaffarabad, seeking relief measures for the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

According to the senator, the government responded positively to those demands by announcing a financial package worth Rs30 billion. Of that amount, Rs10 billion was allocated specifically for electricity-related projects. He highlighted that electricity in Azad Kashmir is currently being provided at approximately Rs3 per unit, compared to around Rs48 per unit in the rest of Pakistan, demonstrating the government’s commitment to supporting the region.

Rana Sanaullah said that despite the government fulfilling the committee’s two long-standing demands, the group did not express appreciation and instead presented 38 additional demands. He noted that government representatives recently held two days of negotiations with the committee and successfully reached a written agreement on 37 of those demands.

One of the remaining demands involved the abolition of refugee seats in the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly and preventing representatives elected on those seats from serving as ministers. Sanaullah explained that the government informed the committee that eliminating such seats was not an executive decision and could not be carried out through administrative authority alone.

He further stated that the committee does not represent any political party and is not interested in contesting elections. Government negotiators questioned how refugees could be deprived of their voting rights, to which committee members reportedly suggested the formation of a committee to further discuss the issue and satisfy public concerns.

The senator alleged that the Kashmir Action Committee deliberately announced a long march for June 9 despite knowing that elections were scheduled before August 4. He claimed that their intention was to create circumstances that could disrupt the electoral process.

According to Rana Sanaullah, the government once again engaged the committee in dialogue and provided detailed explanations regarding every issue raised. During those discussions, he alleged that some committee representatives demanded the removal of provisions from official declarations that support the accession of Kashmir to Pakistan.

He said the government proposed addressing such issues through a referendum, but the suggestion was rejected. Similarly, a proposal to convene an All Parties Conference (APC) was also turned down because the committee reportedly refused to recognize political parties as legitimate stakeholders.

Sanaullah added that the committee opposed referring the matter to the Legislative Assembly. He cited a ruling by the Azad Kashmir Supreme Court, which stated that the current assembly lacks the authority to legislate on certain constitutional matters and that refugee seats cannot be abolished through executive action.

The senator further alleged that when government officials visited Muzaffarabad on June 9, armed individuals opened fire and attempted to create unrest. He claimed that Indian media outlets were extensively covering the situation and closely monitoring developments.

Concluding his remarks, Rana Sanaullah emphasized that Pakistan considers Kashmir its “jugular vein” and that countless sacrifices have been made in support of the Kashmiri cause. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to protecting Azad Kashmir and stated that any individuals found engaging in disruptive activities or acting as agents of hostile foreign interests would be dealt with strictly under the law.