‘AJK no longer a liability’

Sardar Masood paid rich tribute to ERRA and the SERRA in rebuilding the quake-affected areas of AJK

ISLAMABAD: Devastated by a massive earthquake over a decade ago, Azad Jammu and Kashmir is no longer a ‘liability’ and in wake of the massive new economic corridor — the region was an asset for Pakistan.

This was stated by Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan at a ceremony to bid adieu to Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) Acting Deputy Chairman Brigadier Abu Bakr Bajwa.

Masood paid rich tribute to ERRA and the State Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (SERRA) in rebuilding the quake-affected areas of AJK.

He added that the two organisations had helped complete over 191 projects in Kashmir with priority on reconstructing health, municipal and education facilities.

Now, he said, AJK Kashmir was well-equipped with education and health facilities along with a modern water supply network.

The King Abdullah Campus of AJK University is expected to be completed within the next 18 months thanks to the technical and financial assistance of ERRA. Similarly, a campus of Poonch University in Rawlakot will also be built.

Reiterating that AJK was an asset for Pakistan, Masood said that the Himalayan territory was a defensive bastion for the country and enjoys a low crime rate and high literacy rate.

Huge opportunities for investors

Earlier, Masood said that with a massive construction boom across Pakistan, AJK stands to provide ample opportunities for local and foreign investment.

He said this interacting with a Chinese delegation which called on him in Islamabad. The delegation comprised of China Nantong Sanjian Construction Group (CNTC) Vice President Jiang Bing, CNTC Business Manager Ding Nan and other CNTC officials.

Inviting them to visit AJK and explore new avenues of investment, he told them that the region was politically stable and peaceful. Moreover, its strengthening economy would provide a conducive environment for foreign investors along with opportunities for forming public-private partnerships.

Owing to a massive youth bulge and a literacy rate of 85 per cent, a growing middle class, trained workforce, vast stocks of raw materials, Masood said that the region has a huge potential for investment, especially in the construction sector.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 25^th, 2017.