Opposition Leader Rejects Prime Minister’s Statement To Hold Referendum On Kashmir

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif has rejected Prime Minister Imran Khan’s statement in which he promised a referendum on Kashmir.

Reacting to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s statement, Shehbaz Sharif said that Imran Khan was deviating from the historical and constitutional position of Pakistan by talking about the referendum in Azad Kashmir.

He said that the whole nation rejects Pakistan’s position on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and deviates from the UN Security Council resolutions.

Shehbaz Sharif further said that Imran Khan’s statement has proved the concerns that have already come before the nation with the Indian measures of August 5, 2019.

He said that the dispute over Jammu and Kashmir would be decided by the irrevocable right of a transparent, free referendum under the auspices of the United Nations, which was the position of the people of Pakistan and Kashmir.

The Leader of the Opposition said that imposing any solution on Kashmiris without their consent and consultation was tantamount to aiding India and betraying the Kashmir cause.

Casual remarks by PM IK in a political gathering are damaging for the Kashmir cause. His government's Kashmir policy has already given India space to maneuver. We reject any stance that is not rooted in the UNSC resolutions & the country's historical position.

— Shehbaz Sharif (القدس في العيون) (@CMShehbaz) July 24, 2021

On Friday Prime Minister Imran Khan committed the people of Kashmir that his regime will conduct the referendum in which people of Kashmir will have a right to join Pakistan or have a freedom to become an independent state if they want.

In Tarar Khel while addressing an election campaign he said that he wishes to make Azad Jammu and Kashmir “A new province of Pakistan”.He further said that “I do not know where all this talk has sprung from”.

“In the year of 1948, there where were two United Nations Security Council resolutions which allowed the people of Kashmir the right to choose their future. As reported by US resolutions, the people of Kashmir had given an option whether to choose India or Pakistan.

“Today I want to clear all doubts.InshaAllah that day is not so far when all the struggles and sacrifices made by the people of Kashmir will not go into vain. God will give them the green light to use their right. Pakistan Tehreek e Insaaf will hold a referendum InshaAllah.

He was optimistic that the people of Kashmir will choose to live with Pakistan on the day of the referendum.