Muzaffarabad, (Parliament Times): President Azad Jammu and Kashmir Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry has said that AJK offers huge opportunities of investment in different sectors.He expressed these views while speaking to a delegation of Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industries here today.
Referring to the region’s favourable climate and investment friendly environment, the president said that the Private sector can invest in various sectors of Azad Kashmir. He said that besides it’s natural resources Azad Kashmir has huge human resources.” About 15 lakh people from Azad Kashmir are working in Europe, Middle East and North America”, he said that there was no law and order problem in Azad Kashmir while the literacy rate was higher than the provinces of Pakistan. He said that Muzaffarabad, Mansehra and Mirpur motorway and Dry port in the lake view city would further increase the scope of investment in the region.
Referring to the key investment areas in Azad Kashmir, the president said that some of the key sectors for investment in Azad Kashmir included hydel power generation, tourism, minerals, IT and small scale industries.Encouraging investors to invest their capital in Azad Kashmir the president assured them that they will be provided with all support and facilities at the government level. He said that the AJK has a potential to produce 9 thousand megawatts while at present about 2500 megawatts of electricity was being generated from different power projects.”Azad Kashmir also has immense potential in tourism. we have lush green forests, meadows and captivating snow clad peaks in the north and Mangala Lake at Mirpur in the south, which is good for water sports”, the president said, adding that AJK also has ample investment opportunities in minerals and IT sector. On this occasion, President of Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce Dr. Khurram Tariq and Chairman of Lyallpur Warriors, Major Retd Taseer, in their address, paid tribute to Barrister Chaudhry for his efforts to highlight the Kashmir issue at the international level. Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce President Dr. Khurram Tariq informed the president that FCC would sign 14 MoUs to extend cooperation with different departments of the state of Azad Kashmir which would usher in a new era of development in the region. Azad Kashmir Finance Minister Abdul Majid Khan, Industries Minister Chaudhry Maqbool Ahmed, Advisor to the Government on Religious Affairs Hafiz Hamid Raza and former President of Azad Kashmir Chamber of Commerce Chaudhry Javed Iqbal were also present on this occasion.President FCC Dr. Khurram Tariq also presented the commemorative shield to President Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry.