PML-N reveals manifesto for AJK polls

Pervaiz Rashid says party will fulfill each promise upon coming to power

MUZAFFARABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Saturday unveiled its manifesto for the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) general elections scheduled to be held on July 21.

Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid announced the manifesto at a news conference in Muzaffarabad along with Kashmir Affairs Minister Chaudhry Barjees Tahir, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Political Affairs Dr Asif Kirmani and other party leaders.

Rashid said the manifesto had been compiled by a team of experts keeping in view all requirements of AJK and assured that PML-N will fulfill each and every word mentioned in the development agenda. After winning the election, he said, the PML-N will turn AJK into an ideal state by introducing reforms in different sectors including education, health, infrastructure, human rights, administrative and judicial institutions.

Under the manifesto, the party has committed to spend an additional amount of Rs50 billion on AJK roads and other infrastructure's rehabilitation in five years, besides the annual development budgetary allocations.

PML-N will construct Mirpur-Muzaffarabad Expressway and Leepa Valley Tunnel, upgrade existing hospitals by setting up new trauma centers and build modern DHQ hospitals at the district level. Five air ambulances, Sui gas to Mirpur and its adjoining areas and opening of Sui gas office have also been promised.

A parliamentary committee will be constituted to resolve problems of the affected people of Mangla Dam."Development and progress is identity of the PML-N and Nawaz Sharif," Rashid said. He added that other parties or individuals, who even ruled for up to 10 years, had failed to expand mega projects like motorway that was completed by PML-N in 1998.

Speaking at the occasion,Barjees Tahir said the federal government had given Rs13 billion to AJK under the Public Sector Development Programme. He said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had also given funds for Mirpur and Muzaffarabad medical colleges.

He said when the matter of allocating more water for AJK was raised in the Council of Common Interests (CCI), the AJK premier and Sindh chief minister opposed the move. He said Prime Minister Nawaz allocated more water for AJK through an executive order.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10^th, 2016.