President Alvi's categorical stand sent positive message to IOJK: President Sardar Masood Khan

Alvi praises AJK govt's anti-coronavirus measures

MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan has expressed gratitude to President Arif Alvi for categorically reiterating support to the people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK) struggling for their freedom and the realisation of the right to self-determination during his visit to AJK.

“Statement made by the president of Pakistan during his visit to Muzaffarabad has sent a very positive message to the other side of the Line of Control, and it will boost the morale of the Kashmiri people now resisting the Indian repression”, Khan said after meeting with President Alvi at Aiwan Sadr on Tuesday.

President Alvi arrived in Muzaddarabad on a one-day visit along with Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lieutenant General Mohammad Afzal to review the steps taken by the Azad Kashmir government to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

The AJK president said that with the collaboration of various federal institutions including NDMA, National Institute of Health, Ehsaas emergency cash program and from its own resources, the state government had taken effective measures to prevent the spread of the infectious virus, and the initiatives have shown highly positive results.

Khan thanked President Alvi for his efforts to muster the support of the Ulema from all over the country, create harmony among religious forces and schools of thought, and creating awareness countrywide to prevent the pandemic.

The AJK president told the president that under the Ehsaas program, the state government is providing Rs3 billion to 248,000 families, while the state government from its own resources, had established a Covid-19 hospital, laboratories and quarantine centres, besides providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to doctors, nurses and paramedical staff.

“The government had successfully contained the virus through strict implementation of the lockdown. As a result, 16 of the 49 coronavirus patients have recovered now,” he said.

He further said that rapid response teams have done unprecedented work at grass-root level in all the districts. Besides, the government has established a coronavirus information technology centre to collect the data of more than 26,000 people, and the centre has successfully accomplished more than 80 per cent of its assigned task.

Sardar Masood Khan added that he and the AJK prime minister had personally held a consultation and sought cooperation from the ulema of various schools of thought, while the people had also fully cooperated with the government and the administration in making the precautionary measures a success.

He said that the emergency bailout package being received from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund should benefit the people of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan also.

On the occasion, the AJK president briefed President Alvi in detail about the latest situation in occupied Kashmir.

“Implementation of new domicile policy amidst the outbreak of coronavirus was a conspiracy of the Indian government to deprive the Kashmiri people of their fundamental rights,” he said,

Similarly, he maintained that unprovoked India artillery and mortar shelling on the civilian population of Azad Kashmir along the Line of Control (LoC) is designed to disrupt efforts against the pandemic.

Earlier on his arrival, President Alvi was received by the AJK president, Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, cabinet ministers, chief secretary Mathar Niaz Rana and other senior officials.