MUZAFFARABAD, July 12: A member of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Council on Thursday accused the military regime of taking steps as were leading the country towards instability which he feared would consequently deal a blow to Kashmir cause.

“The situation is leading Pakistan towards instability. We fear that the upcoming elections would be engineered. This will be detrimental for the cause of the valiant Kashmiris who are struggling for right to self-determination,” said Sardar Sawar Khan, who belongs to People’s Party.

Mr Khan is also former head of Kashmir Liberation Cell, an institution of the AJK government established to project Kashmir cause.

“Gen Musharraf should not take any decision under pressure that could weaken the freedom struggle in occupied Kashmir.

“Kashmiris, living anywhere in the world, cannot remain indifferent to their movement and (therefore) things that could create misgivings between them and Pakistan should be avoided,” he said.

Mr Khan also criticized amendments in the Constitution of Pakistan, saying no individual had any authority to change the basic theme of the document produced with the consensus of all political parties of the country.

He warned against keeping the “popular leadership of Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif” away from elections and said such an exercise would not have any legal status and neither the world would accept it.

He also deplored the decision of the Supreme Court regarding graduation condition and said it would render majority of the population unable to contest elections.

“If BA is compulsory for the candidates then there should also be a condition for electorates that only literate of them can cast vote,” he said.

“It sounds strange that a person can cast vote but cannot contest elections.”

Of the AJK affairs, Mr Khan said there was no rift in opposition and all such reports were “wishful thinking” of the Muslim Conference government.

“The MC government spreads such disinformation only to divert attention of the people from the discord in their own ranks.”