Cabinet session: ‘AJK govt can take legal action against Lord Nazir’

Lawmakers laud President Zardari’s efforts to rid country of terrorism.

MIRPUR:

Lord Nazir Ahmed is “a despicable person” and the government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has the right to take legal action against him, the AJK cabinet declared in a unanimous resolution when it met in Muzaffarabad late on Thursday.

The cabinet expressed its concerns over Lord Nazir’s association with former Sindh home minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza when the latter met with Scotland Yard during his trip to London, AJK Finance Minister Chaudhry Latif Akbar told The Express Tribune on Friday.

Unveiling the resolutions passed unanimously by the AJK cabinet, which met with AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed in chair, Akber said that the cabinet fully endorsed the move to grant MFN status to India, saying that declaring India as the most favorite nation would have a positive impact in terms of the peace process between India and Pakistan.

The cabinet, through another resolution, supported the Kashmir freedom movement and vowed to continue its moral, diplomatic and political support for the cause. It urged the international community to put pressure on India to withdraw its troops from the region and give Kashmiris the right to self-determination.

The cabinet fully endorsed the meeting between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on the sidelines of the Saarc Summit in Maldives, terming it a positive step that would help in the resolution of long-standing disputes, particularly the Kashmir issue, between the two countries.

The AJK cabinet also appreciated efforts made by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani to rid the country of terrorism, Akber said.

Through another resolution, the cabinet meeting vowed to start mega projects to strengthen good governance, rule of merit and provision of justice to the people. The government pledged that it would take necessary measures to introduce a new education policy, establish medical colleges in Mirpur and Muzaffarabad, and ensure the completion of Dhan Gali Bridge, the Mangla Dam raising project, establishment of a passport office in Islam Ghar along with other district headquarters, the establishment of an IT university in Rawlakot, Women’s University in Muzaffarabad and Neelum Jhelum hydel project among others.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 26^th, 2011.