Always sympathised with Pakistanis, they couldn't get governance like India: Ghulam Nabi Azad

Ghulam Nabi Azad. Pic/PTI

Amid the unrest in Pakistani-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), Democratic Progressive Azad Party Chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday said that he has always sympathised with the people of Pakistan as they could not get the same governance as India got after the partition in 1947, reported news agency ANI.

"There has been a different world in Azad Kashmir and Pakistan since 1947. This morning I was reading that the Supreme Court had imposed charges on the previous Prime Minister (of Pakistan) and the High Court discharged him of those charges and now he can become the leader of the party. The Supreme Court is big there or the High Court, I don't know. I have always sympathised with the people of Pakistan that they could not get a governance like India. Since the last 73-74 years, Pakistan has been run by the army or by the army's nominee."

Highlighting the protests in the Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday, reiterated that "it has been India and will always be," adding that people in PoK must be comparing their situation with those living in Jammu and Kashmir, pointing out the evident progress in the latter region, reported ANI.

EAM Jaishankar was interacting at 'Why Bharat Matters' events and the release of the Bangla edition of his book in Kolkata.

Further, on the current situation in the PoJK, Jaishankar stressed that the analysis of the situation is very complex.

He said that someone living in PoJK would be comparing their situation with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, thinking about how people over there are actually progressing, reported ANI.

"There is a ferment happening in PoK, you can see it on social media or television. The analysis of it is very complex but definitely, I have no doubt in my own mind that someone living in PoK is comparing their situation with someone actually living in Jammu and Kashmir, saying that how is it that people today are actually progressing there," he said, reported ANI.

After several days of intense protests and violence that led to the deaths of three people in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), the protestors announced on Tuesday to call off the protests after the Pakistan government accepted their demands and announced a huge relief package, ARY News reported.

This comes as Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a Pakistan currency (PKR) 23 billion subsidy package for the people of PoJK.

It is pertinent to mention here that PoJK witnessed violent clashes between the police and activists of a rights movement amid a wheel-jam and shutter-down strike across the territory, which left at least three people dead and several others injured, ARY News reported.

On Monday, PM Shehbaz announced a Rs 23 billion subsidy package for the AJK during a high-level meeting convened in relation to the turmoil in the valley. The price of wheat flour had been reduced by PKR 1100 per 40 kg bag, from PKR 3100 to PKR 2000.

Additionally, the government also approved a reduction in electricity prices, ARY News reported. As per the notification, domestic consumers using up to 100 units will be charged PKR 3 per unit, while those using 101-300 units will be charged PKR 5 per unit. Consumers using more than 300 units will be charged PKR 6 per unit. Industrial consumers using up to 300 units will be charged PKR 10 per unit, while those using more than 300 units will be charged PKR 15 per unit.

(With inputs from ANI)