BY: Altaf Hamid Rao
MIRPUR ( AJK): Jan 22: Azad Jammu Kashmir
Prime Minister Haq on Wednesday highly lauded the significant contribution and role of the Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif for speedy socioeconomic development of the liberated territory of AJK through continual liberal financial assistance by the government of Pakistan.
The AJK PM expressed these views while addressing the laying of foundation stone of first Daanish School in Bhimber district of Mirpur division of Azad Jammu Kashmir by the Prime Minister Pakistan Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif on Wednesday.
Pertinently, Rs. 2.85 billion state of the art education facility being established at the request of the AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq will be completed within stipulatedtime frame.
.The foundation stone laying ceremony was attended by President PML-N Shah Ghulam Qadir, senior minister Col. (retd) Waqar Ahmed Noor, ministers and leaders of All parties Hurriyat Conference Azad Jammu Kashmir chapter and others.
Anwar ul Haq thanked Prime minister Shahbaz Sharif, for announcing exemplary development projects for the welfare of the Kashmiri people and the Danish School stands as a proof to it.” The Danish School System is a great gift from the Prime Minister of Pakistan to the people of Bhimber”, the PM said, adding that it was indeed a great blessing for knowledge seekers and deserving students.
Lauding Danish School System for bridging the gap between rich and poor, the PM Haq said, ” The concept of the Islamic welfare state is also that the gap between the rich and the poor should be eliminated and this is what the Danish School System has done”.” We are grateful to the federal government for its consistent support and cooperation that not only helped our government to carry forward development work in the state but also enabled us to provide huge subsidies on electricity and flour”, he remarked.
He said that Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has given billions of rupees to Azad Kashmir in terms of development projects, for which the AJK government was grateful.He said that the federal government’s cooperation and provision of funds has led to an unhindered development in the region in addition to early accomplishment of work on all the pending projects.
He said that Kashmiris’ relationship with Pakistan was eternal and never-ending.Praising Pakistan armed forces for their significant contribution in defending the territorial integrity of the state, he said, “It is because of the sacrifices of the Pakistani forces on the LoC that we are living a peaceful life”.He said that the government in the base-camp (AJK) was taking all possible measures to strengthen the ongoing freedom movement.
The AJK premier said that the people and his government won’t hesitate to make any sacrifice for the Kashmir freedom movement.”There are ups and downs in the lives of nations”, he said adding that the day was not far away when the people of the Indian occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir would achieve their goal of freedom.He made it clear that Kashmiris won’t accept any such formula that leads to further fragmentation of the state.
He said that Pakistanis and Kashmiris are like two bodies with one soul. The leadership across the political spectrum in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir, he said, were united on Kashmir.Warning India to stop hatching conspiracies, he said, the nefarious designs of the Indian government were destined to fail.
Referring to his government’s landmark initiatives, the PM said that the incumbent government adopted austerity measures to reduce expenditures, and did not buy a single car or even a motorcycle for ministers.”We collected tax revenue of 18 billion rupees, spent a budget of 22 billion with absolute transparency and not a single penny of corruption surfaced during our 20-months rule”, the PM added.