‘Govt providing basic amenities without discrimination’

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan has said that under a comprehensive development strategy, the state government is providing basic amenities of life to people in the length and cranny of the liberated territory without any discrimination.

Addressing Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) workers at Beri in Rawalakot on Thursday, he said: “We need to bring a change in our approach and keep the collective interests above the politics to ensure the development and prosperity of the country.

President Masood said that roads, schools or hospitals in any area were not meant for any particular political party or community but all the people irrespective of their political affiliations. "Uplift of communication means, provision of universal healthcare facilities to the people, promotion of tourism and modernisation of agriculture sector are among the priorities of the government."

Speaking on the occasion, PML-N constituency-V President Sardar Ashiq, while paying tributes to the state president for highlighting Kashmir issue on various international forums in its true perspective, expressed the hope that the efforts would materialise shortly and the miseries of brethren of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) would come to an end.

Earlier, talking to a 15-member delegation from Singola who called on him under the leadership of Col (retd) Mustafa Kamal, the AJK president said that the government would utilise all available resources to address problems of Rawalakot constituencies III and IV on a priority basis.

He assured the delegation that all legitimate demands of the delegation would be considered sympathetically, and the problems would be resolved in a phased manner.

A delegation from Hattikot Rant, led by Sardar Azad Khan, Rawalakot Municipality Administrator Sardar Zakir Sher Afzal, PML-N Rawalakot City Secretary-General Sardar Murtaza and other social and political figures also separately called on the AJK president.

Later, addressing people at different places after inaugurating a number of road projects, President Masood said that “we wanted to promote a culture of rising above minor disputes for the sake of collective interest in order to ensure social development”.

He also said that the the government will continue to focus on the development projects throughout Azad Kashmir with a holistic approach towards progress and the prosperity of the people.

“Development of infrastructure including uplift and construction of roads, providing universal access to health, promotion of tourism, industries and modernising agricultural activity would remain at the top of our priorities, he emphasised.”

Saying that Azad Kashmir is a beautiful area that has huge potential for tourism as it possesses varied landscape and climate, President Masood said that AJK is on the cusp of an economic revolution and the government is focusing on infrastructure development throughout the region.

This development, he said, would direct and indirectly affect the tourism industry in AJK.

Highlighting the deplorable human right situation in Occupied Kashmir, he said that “our brothers and sisters in IIOJK are living their lives in virtual imprisonment where every day they are being killed, maimed, incarcerated and dishonoured with impunity”.

The president said that our foremost duty and responsibility is to raise our voices for innocent Kashmiris living in IIOJK. “We must be their voice as they have been made voiceless. We must let the world know about the atrocities perpetrated by India and bring them to task for their illegal and barbaric occupation in IIOJK.”

The other speakers on the praised the president for his keen interest in development projects within the region and also highlighted his untiring efforts in project Kashmir issue at national and international level.