Pakistan's ruling party softens stance, calls PoK protesters patriotic ahead of elections

Rana Sanaullah, a senior adviser to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, told a crowd on the eve of the third PoK election phase that 99 % of those linked to the Joint Awami Action Committee are “our patriotic brothers” and that the PML-N will sit with the group once it commands a two-thirds legislative majority. The comment contrasts sharply with defence minister Khawaja Asif’s recent description of the demonstrators as “enemies of Pakistan” and his refusal to negotiate.

The JAAC, which has organized protests since June involving students, traders and others, claims security forces opened fire, killing more than 40 civilians, including women and children, and around 400 protesters since early June. Authorities have denied civilian fatalities and accused the activists of armed attacks. The elections, already contested by the Pakistan Peoples Party, have seen violence, alleged rigging and the postponement of voting in seven constituencies, while the PML-N has secured 25 of 45 directly elected seats. International bodies such as Amnesty International, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and the United Nations have called for investigations into the crackdown.