AJK on path to achieve self-sufficiency: AJK president

AJK President Sardar Masood Khan says region has maintained high literacy rate even in limited resources

MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan has said the government is determined to achieve the goal of economic self-reliance by exploring new avenues of financial resources and completing the projects of national importance.

He expressed these views while addressing a gathering of officials of the AJK Planning and Development after a briefing on important development projects in the area. Additional Chief Secretary (Development) Dr Syed Asif Hussain briefed the president.

Masood said the AJK government under the leadership of Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan is not only resolute to put the state on the path of progress and but also wants to help Pakistan by achieving benchmarks in infrastructure development, tourism, health and education.

“It is a matter of great pride AJK is far ahead of other provinces of Pakistan in terms of literacy rate even with inadequate infrastructure and unfavourable learning environment,” he said adding the government is endeavouring its best to improve the requisite infrastructure by providing educational facilities and enhancing the quality of education.

He further said many doctors, engineers and IT experts are not only serving in Pakistan but in different countries of the world with honesty and dedication to bring good name to the country of their birth. The AJK president also informed that many developed countries are willing to provide help for the development of primary and elementary education, tourism and energy sectors.

Earlier, briefing the president about important development goals, Additional Chief Secretary (Development) Dr Syed Asif Hussain said a major chunk of the region’s development budget is being spent on improvement, rehabilitation and construction of major roads.

These roads, he said, included inter-districts roads and those linking AJK with Pakistan to bring the remote areas of the state at par with the urban developed areas and to provide best-travelling facilities to the commuters in Azad Kashmir.

“After communications and roads, development of health and education sectors are among the top priorities of the government,” he maintained adding there is great potential to develop tourism and hydropower generation in AJK.

The additional secretary also mentioned a number of measures AJK government is taking to improve governance by providing the people basic amenities including infrastructure development.

He said the health sector is improving in the region providing primary and secondary health facilities to the people and express his hope that tertiary care would soon be available to people.  The ACS said that all constituencies of AJK are being provided Rs50 million for small projects.