MIRPUR: (Parliament Times) President of Azad Jammu & Kashmir State Sardar Masood Khan said here on Tuesday that broad-based Chine-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would open up vistas of unprecedented economic progress and prosperity for Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
“Being the biggest industrial and business city, Mirpur will have to perform a significant role in the light of the CPECâ€, Masood Khan added while addressing news conference at the PWD State Guest house here on the first-ever official visit to Mirpur after assuming the responsibilities as President of the AJK State.The City MLA Ch. Muhammad Saeed, DC Ansar Yaqoob, SSP Raja Irfan Salim ADC (G) Raja Frooq Akram, besides the local PML (N) leaders  were also present  on this occasion.
He underlined that being a business hub and a center of ancient Kashmiri cultural heritage  and the literature, Mirpur district is famously known the world over since it  enjoyed a great significance because of its centuries-old history – as the area also produced famous personalities of international repute as well, he added.
The AJK President said that Azad Jammu Kashmir would be made self-supported and self-sufficient economically through utilization of huge natural resources available in the region. He disclosed that hydel power generation projects and tourism industry would be encouraged through the mutual private-public partnership.
Sardar Masood declared that all out efforts would be made to involve the private sector for the promotion of tourism sector in the scenic AJK where a conducive atmosphere already wait for the investment from the intending entrepreneurs from within AJK and Pakistan particularly from the United-Kingdom based lakhs of Kashmiri expatriates belonging to Mirpur district and rest of AJK.
Unveiling the priorities of the newly-elected PML (N) government in Azad Jammu Kashmir, the AJK President said that since Kashmir issue stood atop the priorities of the new government, it (government) would leave no stone unturned to highlight the importance of early peaceful settlement of Kashmir issue in line with the aspirations of the people of Jammu & Kashmir.
He continued that introduction of good governance in form of transparent administrative system and supremacy of merit and speedy progress through uplift of basic infra-structure would be the second and third priorities of the State administration. He pointed out that the government was also determined to provide swift and due health cover to the people in all AJK districts without any discrimination close to their door-step.
Strongly condemning the increased human rights the AJK President said “Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir is bleeding and burning where the Indian occupational forces have now started targeting the women besides the youth and even the elderly persons of the state terrorism and violence for raising the voice of liberation of the motherland from the long Indian subjugationâ€. He pointed out that at least 980 innocent kashmiris have been made blind through the pellet shots by the Indian occupational forces in the valley of Kashmir since July 8 this year. He said that innocent Kashmiris were not even safe within their houses in the burning valley of occupied Kashmir at the hands of the Indian occupational troops.  The President revealed that the suffering people in occupied Kashmir have taken shelter in the orchards by escaping from the Indian reign of state terrorism increased since over past four months.
He said that being the government at the base camp of the Kashmir freedom movement,  the AJK government would perform its due responsibilities to raise the Kashmir issue at the international level to muster the sympathies of the external world for the early peaceful settlement of Kashmir problem.
Elaborating Sardar Masood said “we have started knocking the door of the United Nations to emphasize upon the world body to perform its due role for the settlement of the much-delayed Kashmir issue under the spirit of its resolutionsâ€.
The AJK  President thanked Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Nawaz Sharif of sending the envoys to various parts of the world to apprise the international community of the latest reign of state terrorism and violence unleashed by India against the innocent freedom-loving people in the internationally-acknowledged disputed Himalayan state of Jammu & Kashmir. Masood hoped that the visit of Pakistan’s envoys abroad to clinch the support of the international community would bear fruit towards the early settlement of Kashmir issue – key to the emergence of durable and everlasting peace in South Asia in particular and the world over in general.
Sardar Masood said that that besides the AJK government, it was enjoined upon the civil society of AJK to move ahead for  serving the ailing brethren of occupied Jammu & Kashmir in their just, principled and indigenous struggle for freedom of the homeland from the Indian yoke.
To a question about the much-awaited grant of representation to Mirpur district in the AJK cabinet by the new government, the AJK President said that the acknowledged tradition of representation to all areas of AJK in the State cabinet under the spirit of the parliamentary democratic government would be maintained in letter and spirit. He added that Mirpur district would soon be given due representation in the AJK cabinet on return of the Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider from ongoing trip to abroad.
