Altaf Hamid Rao,
MIRPUR (AJK): Kashmir-origin member of the British Parliament and Shadow Minister of Justice Barrister Imran Hussain has welcomed the formation of Commission for Overseas Kashmir by Azad Jammu Kashmir government for the redressal of their grievances related to their problems at their ancestral places in AJK.
“The constitution of the Overseas Commission for the settlement of the problems of the expatriates is a good omen”, Imran said while speaking at a reception meeting hosted in his native town of Mirpur Tuesday.
Barrister Imran called upon AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan to immediately order stringent measures to make a complete check on the alleged increased drug trafficking in various parts of Mirpur division. He underlined that since a large number of the UK-based overseas Kashmiri youth use to have routine visits to their ancestral places in Mirpur division, they were allegedly made furnished with the narcotics easily under, what he called, a pre-planned conspiracy. This ugly state of affairs is ruining the youth, he underlined. He continued that because of such sorry state of affairs, the Britain-based parents of addicted young Kashmiri expatriates, use to avoid visiting their ancestral abodes in AJK, mostly in all three districts of Mirpur division including Mirpur, Kotli and Bhimbher.
The British Parliament Member emphasized the need of every possible string steps to overcome said reported tragic situation for encouraging the sense of trust and confidence among all of the expatriates including those hailing from various part of Pakistan and AJK.
It may be added that over a million expatriates hailing from AJK, a major chunk from Mirpur division, are settled in the United Kingdom since over past six decades.
Barrister Imran also strongly suggested the formation of a Task Force by the AJK Government at the pattern of the Overseas Kashmiris Commission for the sake of the swift settlement of the issues related to the expatriates. This step, he maintained, would lead to raise more trust and confidence of the overseas Pakistanis and Kashmiris for the sake of launching investments in various fields including trade and tourism in various parts of Azad Jammu Kashmir especially in the only largest industrial district of Mirpur, their ancestral abode – since a conducive environment is already available for the investment in tourism industry in AJK, he underlined.
The Kashmir-origin British Member of the British Parliament pointed out that the UK-based parents of the drugs addicted Kahsmiri expatriate youths are much concerned of such an alarming situation of the rapid raise in number of the addiction of their offspring during their visit to the ancestral towns in AJK – mostly in Mirpur division. “The routine influx of the expatriates may go to a permanent end if the immediate stringent measures are not taken to overcome the alleged drugs paddling at their native places in AJK”, Barrister Imran feared.
It may be added that the Kashmir-origin British Parliament Member Barrister Imran Hussain belongs to a distinguished political family of AJK hailing from Mirpur district. He is the son of renowned UK-based political figure belonging to Labor Party and Counselor Ch. Altaf Hussain and maternal grand son of late Chaudhry Muhammad Azam, former Deputy Speaker of AJK Legislative Assembly and ex Chairman of Mirpur Development Authority.
