Altaf Hamid Rao,
Islamabad/ MIRPUR (AJK), (Parliament Times) : President Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry has asked the federal government to provide security to the AJK government so that municipal elections could be held in a peaceful manner. In a joint communique addressed to Prime Minister of Pakistan Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and Adviser to PM on Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs Qamar Zaman Kaira, the president sought deployment of security forces in Azad Kashmir to conduct the local government elections scheduled to be held after a gap of 31 years.
The letter further said that if security forces were not provided and elections were postponed then it would have a negative impact on the Kashmir cause.
The AJK President had also telephoned the interior minister and adviser Kashmir Affairs Qamar Zaman Laura in this regard and asked them to play their role in this regard.
Meanwhile, former Defense Secretary and Corps Commander Bahawalpur Lieutenant General (retired) Naeem Khalid Lodhi called on AJK President Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry. On this occasion, the duo discussed the issues of mutual interest, in particular the situation in the Indian occupied Kashmir.