A parliamentary delegation from the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, led by Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar, met with National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq to discuss Kashmir, climate-related risks, and parliamentary cooperation. Both sides condemned alleged Indian actions in Jammu and Kashmir, pledged continued international advocacy for the Kashmiri cause, and expressed solidarity with flood-affected communities in Azad Kashmir and Punjab.
The delegation included former AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan, Hafiz Ahmad Raza Qadri, Hamid Raza, and Dewan Ali Chughtai. During the meeting, delegates reviewed measures to strengthen ties between legislative bodies and discussed ways to raise Kashmir’s profile in regional and international forums.
Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq reaffirmed his commitment to treating all members of parliament equally, saying he ensures the issuance of production orders for MNAs without discrimination and that resolving parliamentarians’ issues is a priority. He emphasized that Pakistan’s Parliament has consistently highlighted the Kashmir issue internationally and condemned what he described as India’s unilateral actions of 5 August 2019, saying such measures cannot suppress the Kashmiri struggle. He also expressed sorrow over recent torrential rains in Azad Kashmir and pledged continued support for affected communities.
Chaudhry Latif Akbar warned that climate change has left Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir particularly vulnerable, with melting glaciers raising the risk of flash floods. He expressed solidarity with people affected by flooding in Punjab and praised Speaker Sadiq’s efforts to promote parliamentary diplomacy. Latif Akbar also highlighted the tourism potential in Azad Kashmir and described Pakistan’s victory in Marq-e-Haq as evidence of both military and diplomatic success.
Both speakers called for coordinated action by members of Pakistan’s and Azad Kashmir’s parliaments to keep the Kashmir dispute on the global agenda, arguing that lasting peace in the region requires resolution of the conflict. They commended the continuing support of the Government and people of Pakistan for the Kashmiri cause and urged acceleration of efforts to draw international attention to the issue.
