AJK should hand PM Nawaz ‘Mukhtar Nama’: Rashid

Says weakening him would be tantamount to weakening the Kashmir cause

CHARHOI: Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Minister Pervaiz Rashid on Thursday called upon the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir to hand Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif the power of attorney in the upcoming polls.

Since the PM is effectively pleading the cause of Kashmir, the minister said it is only fitting that the people of AJK repose their trust in him and grant him the power of attorney (Mukhtar Nama).

Addressing Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) workers, he said the prime minister had already retaliated against India in 1998 by detonating six nuclear explosions in response to their five explosions. According to him, Nawaz Sharif's hands must be strengthened as weakening him would be tantamount to weakening the cause of the Kashmiris.

He said Azad Kashmir would be transformed into a developed valley so that its inhabitants could have abundant employment opportunities in their native areas if they come to power. He urged Kashmiris to vote for PML-N on July 21 and empower Nawaz Sharif.

He said PML-N workers were looked upon as assets. He said that a PML-N worker would become the prime minister of AJK after July 21 polls.

The minister said that two airports would be built in the valley to enable overseas based Kashmiris to land near their native cities instead of Islamabad or Lahore airports.

Rashid said AJK would be provided five air ambulances for flying patients from far flung mountainous areas to hospitals. The valley would be linked with railway, besides constructing hospitals at the tehsil level. He said the culture of ‘bullet and abuse’ would be abolished from Azad Kashmir altogether. He lauded Naeem Mansab Dad for withdrawing his candidature in the local constituency in favour of a PML-N.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 16^th, 2016.