AJK PM willing to work with Opp on national interest matters

Says politicians must not let differences turn into personal enmity

ISLAMABAD:

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan has said that his government is keen to take opposition along on issues of vital national interest in order to advance positive democratic traditions.

The premier said this while talking to different delegations that called on him on Friday.

Speaking on the occasion, he, while highlighting the role of opposition in parliamentary democracy, said, “Opposition leaders are respectable, we not only respect their mandate but also try to take them on board on important issues to advance the journey of development and prosperity in the region.”

The issue of standing committees in the legislative assembly, Khan said, has been settled amicably with mutual consultations.

“In a democracy, problems are solved through debate and discussion, but for a meaningful debate to take place all that you need is to sit and talk together,” the PM said, adding that difference of opinion was the essence of democracy, but politicians must not let their difference turn into personal enmity.

He also said that the parliamentary party of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) takes decisions on the basis of consultation. “We do not interfere in others' affairs, and we do hope that no one interferes in our affairs”, he added.

Prime Minister Khan said that the PTI also has the constitutional and legal right to work the way other parties have been doing.

The premier regrettably noted that for the past few days, lopsided and negative propaganda was being paddled on social media regarding the partition of Kashmir, the abolition of the 13th Amendment and the tourism authority.

He said that such wicked attempts to achieve political objectives by creating chaos in the state on the basis of unverified social media reports would never succeed.

He further said that the government has started to implement its development agenda set forth in the budget.

He, however, stated that there was a dire need for reforms in the administrative machinery of Azad Kashmir, government institutions, especially the departments working in the development sectors.

Regarding local government elections, Khan said, “The orders of the Supreme Court (SC) will be implemented in letter and spirit.”