Former speaker AJK assembly Sayab Khalid and Dr Asif Rafique join PML-N

Lahore : Minister for Information Senator Pervaiz Rashid Sunday said July 21 would be the day of victory for ‘lion’ in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections which would bring progress and prosperity to the people.

He was speaking at an event organized to welcome Sayab Khalid,former speaker of AJK legislative assembly and a group of political workers in Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).He congratulated Sayab Khalid and others on joining the party.

He said being as Prime Minister and leader of the elected PML-N government in AJK, the voice of Nawaz Sharif would become part of continuing struggle of Kashmiris for right to self-determination,
then it would be more effective and strong freedom movement.He said Nawaz Sharif would be an advocate of Kashmiris’ right of self-determination. “When the world will know that Nawaz Sharif has government in Pakistan as well as in Azad Kashmir, then India will have to bow before the will of the people. “As gun bowed before people in Turkey in the same way it will bow before the people in Srinagar whose voice will be heard everywhere.”
He said after retirement of Sardar Abdul Qayyum from practical politics, there were complaints against the working of Sardar Attique, whose politics was just based on ‘palace intrigues’ and not to serve the people. When Sardar Attique continued with this kind of politics of intrigue against the party’s own Prime Minister, then on the wishes of party leaders and workers, AJK PML-N was formed, he added.

He said PML-N politics was not about intrigues or for gaining power but its politics was about serving the people. The picture of its politics was clear before people as it was about development projects and facilities of hospitals, education and jobs, he said.
When people in Pakistan think about mega projects, name of Nawaz Sharif comes to their mind, he added. “When people of Pakistan stamp lion they get a guarantee of progress.”

He said the PML-N had a manifesto and its federal and provincial governments played their roles in development of the country. He said PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto came to Kashmir and
criticised the PML-N and Nawaz Sharif. “It is his right to raise questions about the policies of my
party. But it is also his responsibility to tell about their own performance.”

He said the PPP remained in power in AJK and at the Center for five years and for eight years in Sindh.
Bilawal should tell what the PPP had done in Sindh and AJK to ask for votes in the upcoming elections in Azad Kashmir, he stressed.

Pervaiz Rashid said the policy of Nawaz Sharif on Kashmir was clear as stated by him in the UN General Assembly. The Prime Minister shook the world conscience and reminded them to implement
the UN resolutions on Kashmir, he added.

He said Bilawal never asked question about Kashmir and he should tell whether his party’s policy was to wage war for 1000 years or to sign Shimla agreement. Imran Khan had no Kashmir policy and when he went to India to watch a cricket match, he did not raise the Kashmir issue with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the minister recalled.

Pervaiz Rashid said Nawaz Sharif stressed on Kashmir issue during his meetings with the Indian Prime Minister. He said when they made pledges about utilising all resources for bringing progress in Kashmir, filling its treasury and providing its people with education and health facilities, this all was about
implementing the vision of Nawaz Sharif.

When the PPP transferred power at the Center it left only $3 billion, now the federal government of PML-N had $23 billion in its reserves, he added.
He said Imran Khan did not have a programme for Azad Kashmir and he could not cite any example of his achievement except killing rats in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa. He urged people to remain alert on the election day and protect sanctity of their vote.

Meanwhile ; Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Azad Jammu and Kashmir (Punjab) Convenor Dr Asif Rafique on Sunday announced to join the PML-N. He made this announcement here at a PML-N central office in the presence of PML-N Lahore President MNA Pervaiz Malik, general secretary Khawaja Imran Nazir and other party leaders.
Dr Asif Rafique said the PTI was not a political party but a group of looters, adding that he had joined the PML-N unconditionally and fully trusted in the PML-N leadership.

Pervaiz Malik and Khawaja Imran Nazir welcomed him and said there was complete contrast in Imran Khan words and actions. They said the PML-N had arranged machines to to find out fake identity cards to stop rigging in the AJK elections.They said whosoever would try to cast bogus vote would be arrested on the spot.”We have constituted teams of our political workers who will stop rigging and with the grace of Almighty Allah the PML-N will win on July 21″, they added.