PML(N) Calls PoK Protesters 'Patriots' As Unrest Escalates Before Third-Phase Polls

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) appears to be under growing political pressure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) following months of protests and violence, with senior party leader Rana Sanaullah now describing the overwhelming majority of demonstrators as “patriotic”. The remarks come ahead of the third phase of polls in the region, after the PML-N secured a majority in the first two phases amid allegations of violence and electoral irregularities.

Sanaullah, an adviser to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, said on Saturday that 99 per cent of people associated with the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which has led protests in PoK, were patriotic. He also announced that representatives of the PML-N would soon meet members of the protest group. According to Sanaullah, the discussions would focus on resolving the issues that have fuelled the agitation in the region, signalling a possible shift from confrontation towards political engagement.

The statement represents a notable change in tone from the government's earlier position. Until recently, the PML-N had alleged that members of the banned Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan were present among protesters. Those allegations were used by the authorities to justify a crackdown on the demonstrations. Sanaullah's latest comments, however, appeared to distinguish between the protesters and extremist organisations, with the senior leader acknowledging the demonstrators as largely patriotic citizens.

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Speaking at a rally ahead of the third phase of the polls, Sanaullah said the PML-N government would engage with JAAC representatives after taking charge with what he described as a two-thirds majority. He said resolving the issues raised by the Action Committee would be among the government's first tasks. The remarks come as the party seeks to consolidate its political position following a period marked by widespread protests and clashes in the region.

In the first two phases of the elections held so far, the PML-N has won 25 seats, according to the information provided, giving the party a majority in the 45-member assembly. The contest has primarily been between the PML-N and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), despite the two parties being coalition partners in Pakistan's federal government. The election process has been accompanied by allegations of widespread violence and claims of large-scale rigging, adding to the political pressure surrounding the polls.

The developments have also drawn attention from India, which maintains that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral and inalienable parts of India. New Delhi describes Pakistan's control over parts of the region as illegal and forcible occupation and has rejected the legitimacy of political processes conducted under Pakistan's control there. Against that backdrop, the latest shift in the PML-N's approach towards the PoK protesters comes at a politically sensitive time, as the party prepares for the next phase of polling while facing demands to address longstanding grievances in the region.

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