Saqib Ali Haidri
Muzaffarabad: President Pakistan Peoples Party AJK chapter Ch. Latif Akbar has expressed his reservations on census report of Azad Kashmir.
While addressing to a press conference here on Tuesday, he said that provisional census report of AJK showed total population of 4 million. He said,” Massive number of Kashmiris belonging from both sides of Line of Control are living in different areas of Pakistan; they should also be included as Kashmiri in census report”.
Ex. Minister Syed Bazil Ali Naqvi, Ch. Muhammad Rasheed, Muhammad Hanif Awan including other leaders Syed Qalab Abbas, Asad Habib Awan, Mubarak Haider, Pervaiz Mughal and others were present in the press conference.
Latif Akbar reiterated that a large number of Kashmiris are overseas based but they originate from Azad Kashmir. “This diminished strength of AJK will not only affect the outcome of plebiscite process but will also deprive migrants of Jammu and Kashmir valley of exercising their inalienable right as per UN resolutions”
He said that on the other hand India was trying to settle her citizens in disputed region of occupied Jammu and Kashmir by abolishing the law 35A. “India has been trying to decrease Muslim majority so that they can get majority votes at the time of plebiscite, government of Pakistan should seriously think about this alarming situationâ€, Akbar said.
“If India succeeded in its attempts to change demographic situation of occupied Jammu and Kashmir then he might agree to hold plebiscite because at that time they will have majority population while on the other hand our migrants will be deprived of exercising their right.”, Latif Akbar added. Chaudhary Latif Akbar demanded Federal government to take serious notice as well government of AJK to call an All Parties Conference APC on the present census report in view of Kashmir Freedom of Movementâ€.
The PPP President said that as per the census report, AJK will get lesser part in NFC award. While answering to a question he said,†We have started many mega projects in AJK on the estimated population of AJK around more than 5 million apart from migrants based in Pakistan that will also be affected by this report”.