Infrastructure development key to economic growth: AJK president

Azad Jammu and Kashmir President Sardar Masood Khan has said that the AJK government is paying special attention on improving road infrastructure to connect the entire state and pave the way for its speedy development.

“A special attention has been paid to the construction of infrastructure in Azad Kashmir in the past four years, especially on construction of inter-district roads, as a result of which people have got great relief after a long time,” he said while talking to various public delegations at Circuit House Rawalakot on Monday.

While saying that AJK has great potential to become a tourist hub, President Masood emphasised that approachability from one place to other is a key to promoting tourism in the state. He maintained that rehabilitation of the existing road network and the construction of new ones was the priority of the state government.

The state government, he said, also kept its sharp focus on the problems faced by the people regarding health and education and all available resources are being utilised to solve these problems.

The AJK president assured that the construction work on the road connecting Rawalakot with Rawalpindi district via Goin Nalla Azad Patan would be accelerated while Rawalkot Arja Road has already been constructed.

He said that the construction of inter-district highways would further enhance the central position of Rawalakot and make it a top tourist place which would open new avenues for economic and social development in the region.

Among those who called on the president were AJK Presidential Adviser Sardar Ejaz Yousuf, Sameer Azam, Mohammad Shakeel, Mohammad Aftab, Sardar Mohammad Akram Khan of Kharak and Farhad Ali led by Sardar Asif Siddique from Matial Meera. While Sardar Zeeshan, Mohammad Rohail, Riaz Khan and Rashid Hanif led by Mohammad Murtaza Khan of Pothi also visited the president. A public delegation of Chak Quayan included Sardar Rizwan, Amir Zia and others and another delegation led by Nasir Ishaq, including Asif Ishaq and Sardar Asher, called on the president separately and highlighted several issues of public importance.

The delegations lauded Masood for effectively highlighting the Kashmir issue at the international level and expressed the hope that his efforts would soon bear fruits.

A 16-member delegation led by the president Ijaz Qamar of Ghazi Millat Press Club Rawalakot later met President Masood and discussed with him in detail the Kashmir issue, the latest situation in Occupied Kashmir and the issues of the press club..

The AJK president urged the journalists to highlight the plights of the oppressed people of Indian Illlegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir through their pens and expose the Modi government’s nefarious designs regarding AJK, Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan.

Meanwhile, he assured the delegation of the press club that necessary steps would be taken to solve the problems of the journalists’ community.