Altaf Hamid Rao,
MUZAFFARABAD/MIRPUR (AJK), (Parliament Times) : The Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has given a historic mega development package for the development of Azad Jammu and Kashmir amounting to 500 billion rupees.
This was disclosed by the Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi while presiding over a high level meeting held here on Thursday . Prime Minister briefed about his meeting with the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the details of the historic mega development package for Azad Kashmir.
Elaborating the salient feature of the mega project he said that the project was finalized during the meeting with the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan which envisages the construction and improvement of infrastructure for the socio economic uplift of the people of Azad Kashmir. This mega development package includes communication, upgrading of highways and construction of tunnels, and solid waste management .It also envisages the improvement of infrastructure, reform in educational institutions, hydropower, IT, agriculture, livestock and industry, governance and law enforcement. , Tourism and Forests.
Addressing the meeting the Prime Minister said the 500 billion rupees package by the Prime Minister of Pakistan is the largest development package in the history of Azad Kashmir. This development package will be in addition to the current budget of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The Prime Minister said that Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has given the biggest development package for the development and prosperity of Azad Kashmir. The Prime Minister of Pakistan has won the hearts of Kashmiri people by announcing the largest package in history to help provide employment opportunities and to make Azad Kashmir a model state. He said the package is also a reflection of Imran Khan’s interest in building and developing Azad Kashmir and improving the living standards of the people of the state and added that it will revolutionize construction and development in Azad Kashmir. He said that in the last elections, the people of Azad Kashmir expressed confidence in Imran Khan’s ideology and voted for his vision of construction, development and prosperity. He said that funds of the mega development package will be given to Azad Kashmir in phases. In this connection a meeting was held yesterday with the Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar in which a plan of action and mega developmental packages for the socio economic uplift for the people of the state was finalized .The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary and other concerned officials were also present in the meeting.
The Prime Minister said that the Planning Commission of Pakistan in collaboration with the Government of Azad Kashmir will finalize the mega development package while focal persons will be appointed for each sector of the mega development package projects in coordination with the Federal Ministry of Planning and Development . The Planning Commission of Pakistan will ensure the timely completions of the projects. The Azad Kashmir Prime Minister said that the Prime Minister of Pakistan is determined to change the destiny of the people of Azad Kashmir and is taking all possible steps to turn Azad Kashmir into a model state to bring about socio economic changes in the lives of the people of the state.. He said that every sector of Azad Kashmir would be developed with the implementation of the historic mega development package. Special funds will be set aside for the people living at the line of control and revolutionary steps will be taken to mitigate their sufferings. The Prime Minister said that development of tourism in the state will not only help increase state revenue but would also create employment opportunities at the local level.