Convince Sindh & KPK to support AJK’s inclusion in NFC Awards, AJK PM tells opposition

Muzaffarabad: (Parliament Times) Reiterating his demand for representation of AJK government in NFC awards of Pakistan, the Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Raja Farooq Haider on Saturday said, “The federal as well as the provincial governments of Punjab and Balochistan were supporting our stance to get the AJK included in top national level institutions”.

Speaking on the floor of AJK Legislative Assembly during question answer hour the AJK premier said that the Pakistan Peoples Party (AJK chapter) and PTI (Kashmir Chapter) should gear up their efforts to convince the Sindh and KPK governments to support inclusion of AJK in the top level national institutions. The Prime Minister said that during the Council of Common Interests meeting prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif had assured that the AJK, Gilgit Baltistan and FATA would be included in the National Finance Commission Award.

Khan said that ex-Chief Minister of Sindh Qaim Ali Shah deferred our demand for provision of drinking water of 614 cusecs from Mangla Lake for the people of Mirpur because our (AJK) status was different from the provinces of Pakistan. “Prime Minister Pakistan Nawaz Sharif has promised to increase the water useage charges to Rs.1.10 and that matter is lying between WAPDA and Finance Division of Pakistan. Federal minister Khawaja Asif has also promised to resolve the matter very soon and a meeting in this regard, was set to resolve the issue” he said.

He asked the PPP and PTI legislators to convince their members of the National Assembly (MNAs) to favour the matter [Inclusion of AJK in NFC Award] as Centre, Punjab and Bloschistan governments were agreed to support the AJK on this issue.

“It is a matter of immediate concern for us. We should also cooperate in this matter for the betterment of the people”, he added.

Meanwhile the Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider attended an Iftar Dinner in honour of him hosted by the member Legislative Assembly Ahmed Raza Qadri at his residence at Rawalpindi last evening. The Prime Minister paid rich tributes to the Sanaullah Qadri (late) for his services and parliamentary contributions.