AJK acting PM says local body elections after six months

“Govt wants to transfer power at local level”.

MIRPUR, AJK:
Local Bodies elections in Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) will be held after six months, Acting AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin announced on Sunday.

Yasin, while talking to reporters, said that the newly-elected government of AJK was seeking to hold the elections as early as possible under the spirit to transfer the local-level powers to the elected representatives of people, which will enable them to address local matters independently.

Referring to the ongoing talks between Pakistan Peoples Party and the Muslim Conference regarding a possible reconciliation in AJK, the acting prime minister said that committees comprising senior leaders of both of the parties have joined hands to reach an agreement to this effect.

He added that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has been given due share in the AJK cabinet after the induction of a member in the AJK Legislative Assembly as a minister.

Yasin said that reconciliation among like-minded political forces in AJK was imperative in the larger national interests of the region. However, he did not elaborate specifically what these national interests were.


Elaborating on the priorities of the PPP government in AJK, Yasin said that the newly-elected regime has developed three medical colleges and a cadet college in AJK since its emergence in the last 90 days besides announcing various other development projects of public welfare.

The acting AJK prime minister said that AJK was facing some financial problems.

“However the current financial problems being faced by the public sector organisations will be resolved soon with financial assistance by the government of Pakistan to the state government,” he added.

Yasin said that the president and prime minister of Pakistan had already pledged to provide required funds to AJK to meet local needs and development projects.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 31st,  2011.
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