Altaf Hamid Rao,
Muzaffarabad/MIRPUR ( AJK ) , (Parliament Times) : Prime Minister Azad Kashmir Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan on Tuesday laid the foundation stone of Manakpian-Muzaffarabad bridge that besides providing easy access and quick transportation facilities to the residents of the area would connect surrounding rural communities with the capital city.The construction of this bridge will facilitate the population of 1 lakh in Manakpian and the migrant community settled in two refugee camps in the area. The construction of the bridge will cost Rs 62.2 million and the project will be completed in 15 months. Ministers Khawaja Farooq Ahmed, Chaudhry Muhammad Rashid and Government Advisor Hafiz Hamid Raza were also present on the occasion.Talking to media after the inauguration of the bridge, Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan said that the Kashmiri refugees had left their home and hearth for a great cause following the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). The government, he said, would use all available resources to improve their lives. He said that the provision of basic amenities in other refugee camps all across Azad Kashmir would be ensured.
Kashmir and Pakistan, he said are inseparable. Regarding the slashing of AJK’s development budge, the PM while referring to former PM Raja Muhammad Farooq Haider Khan’s speech in the assembly said, “PML-N president said it on the floor of Assembly today that when he was the Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan both assured him that they will not allow the budget of Azad Kashmir be slashed by any means”. “I think the cut in AJK’s development budget is the result of a misunderstanding, which has to be realized and removed accordingly”, the PM said.Khan said that he has come to power with the mission of public service. “There will be uniform development in all constituencies of Azad Kashmir and no area will be left behind”, the PM said.The government, he said, would promote tourism by upgrading the infrastructure so as to increase the revenue of the state and provide employment to the people at local level.He said that the government was also working for the promotion of small scale industries. “No effort will be spared to alleviate the suffering of the common man”, he maintained.
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