MIRPUR, (Parliament Times) : The Secretary Information and IT of the Independent Government of Jammu and Kashmir, Midhat Shehzad, has said that on the direction of the Prime Minister of the Independent Government of Jammu and Kashmir, Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi and Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan, various weeks are being observed from September 27 to resolve public issues across Azad Kashmir. Under “Meet the Citizen”, senior officers of Azad Kashmir government are holding open courts in every district and public issues are being reported to the government. Journalism focuses on the problems of the entire state, government and the people, for which issues will be identified in a press briefing with journalists in Mirpur and Bhimber and suggestions for their solution will be formulated. Journalist colonies are being set up for journalists in Azad Kashmir. Journalists are being promoted from the platform of the Press Foundation. Payment of arrears for newspaper advertisements and distribution of advertisements will be fair. Dummy newspapers have been removed from the list of media. The Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan is planning to spend a package of Rs 520 billion to Azad Kashmir on major projects across Azad Kashmir. The annual development budget of Azad Kashmir will be Rs 28 billion and Rs 100 billion will be provided to Azad Kashmir every year by the federation. This will enable completion of major development projects across Azad Kashmir. She expressed these views while addressing a press briefing with print and electronic media representatives during his visit to Mirpur. Director General Information Raja Azhar Iqbal Khan, Assistant Commissioner Munir Ahmad Qureshi, District Information Officer Muhammad Javed Malik, Private Secretary Gulbahar Khan and a large number of media representatives were present on the occasion. Secretary Information and IT Midhat Shehzad further said that now the monitoring of construction and development works in Azad Kashmir is being ensured. Along with the new roads being constructed, steps are being taken to provide water, sewerage, telephone lines and other public services. Answering the questions of the journalists, the Secretary to the Government said that for the first time in the history of Azad Kashmir, the Secretaries are going to the people themselves and listening to their problems. Journalists demanded fair distribution of advertisements by the Information Department and payment of arrears of advertisements, election of Kashmir Press Club, conducting training workshops and training for journalists, implementation of reforms in Press Foundation, construction of District Offices Information Department building, Working journalists co-founded Press Club and Press Club hockey membership, issues of victims of Mangla Dam, sub-families, payment of Mangla Dam royalty, electricity bills, overseas Kashmiris institutional development plots and reclamation of lands and other issues. They stressed on taking effective measures at the government level.
