Action Committee V Azad Kashmir Government. Dr Shabir Choudhry

 Action Committee V Azad Kashmir Government 

Dr Shabir Choudhry 

London 21 December 2023 

1. I have no doubt in sincerity of the Action Committee members, who were selected to hold dialogue with the Conciliation Committee established by the Government of Azad Kashmir. 

1. However, by looking at the handwritten 2 paragraph Urdu document, it appears that the Conciliation Committee has already won the battle; but the war is still to be won. 

1. Sadly, the representatives of the Action Committee failed to discharge their responsibilities and protect genuine demands and fundamental rights of the suffering people of Azad Kashmir. 

1. I can understand constraints of the Government selected Conciliation Committee; and I am also cognizant with the legal and constitutional (Lent Officers, Act 74, Ministry of Kashmir Affairs, The Karachi Pact, Kashmir Council, GOC Murree and the secret agencies) under which they have to conduct affairs of this region controlled by Pakistan. 

1. Despite all the checks, controls and restrictions their loyalty must be with the people of Azad Kashmir, and they must protect and enhance fundamental rights of the people. 

1. The Action Committee should demand that there must be a national grid in Azad Kashmir, and all the electricity, around 4,000 Megawatt, produced in Azad Kashmir must go to Azad Kashmir national grid instead of the Pakistani national grid. 

1. Our electricity consumption is between 350 to 400 Megawatt, and the rest WAPDA should purchase from Azad Kashmir so that we can also benefit from our resources. 

1. The WAPDA or Pakistan should pay us back all the money they illegally and forcefully collected from us in the name of Neelam Jhelum project. 

1. All the Dams built in Azad Kashmir must be under the control of Azad Kashmir Government. 

1. All other resources of our region should also be under control of Azad Kashmir. 

1. All estates belonging to the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir must be controlled by the Azad Kashmir. 

1. Problems of Azad Kashmiri expatriates must be resolved. They must be accorded with all necessary facilities at all the airports. 

1. All citizens of Azad Kashmir must be provided travelling documents so that they can travel abroad and also visit their motherland. 

1. Army must limit themselves to their barracks and vacate mingling with residential areas. 

1. The current ‘agreement’ with the Conciliation Committee is inadequate and too vague, and that will strengthen the position of the Government. 

1. As the agreement stands, my apprehension is that the Government with the help of the Conciliation Committee is playing games with the Action Committee; and their real agenda was and is to delay matters and take the momentum out of the Movement which has massive public support. 

1. This vagueness will be interpreted by experts of the Azad Kashmir Government to benefit the authorities and Pakistan at the expense of the ordinary citizens of Azad Kashmir who are suffering because of the exploitative policies and a pro Pakistan system of governance. 

1. The Action Committee must induct some experts who can help and advise them. 

1. There is no mechanism to implement the final agreement. What action could be taken if the government refuses to implement some of the conditions. END.