Kashmir's youth as dear to me as Pakistan's: Nawaz

MUZAFFARABAD: In an address to a PML-N rally in Muzaffarabad, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif claimed he loves the youth of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) as much as he loves the youth of Pakistan.

The PML-N chief said that he had several plans for AJK's development that would have eliminated unemployment from the region, but they were all ruined due to his disqualification in July last year. He also paid tribute to the separatists in Indiaheld Kashmir and lauded their "bravery". He vowed to stand by the people of Kashmir that were struggling for their right to self-determination.

"The brave people of Kashmir are being blinded by the pellet guns used to fire at them," Nawaz said, referring to incidents of injuries resulting from Indian forces' use of pellet guns against separatists in Kashmir. "Don't lose heart. God is with you." His daughter Maryam Nawaz also spoke on the occasion, saying that her heart bleeds when the people of Kashmir suffer. She urged her supporters to pray for the day when held Kashmir will gain independence from Srinagar's slavery. She also thanked the crowd for showing their support for her party, saying that the people of AJK "did not vote for any party but PML-N" in 2016 elections. PML-N had won 31 out of 41 seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly in 2016.

During their speeches, the crowd chanted slogans of "vote ko izzat do" (respect the vote) and "Kashmir bane ga Pakistan" (Kashmir will become Pakistan).