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Tag: Azad Kashmir

  • Former AJK Minister’s State Subject Certificate Cancelled

    Former AJK Minister’s State Subject Certificate Cancelled

    The President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday approved the cancellation of the state subject certificate of former AJK minister Muhammad Asim Sharif Butt, and the AJK Board of Revenue has issued a notification to that effect.

    According to the notification, the certificate had been issued in favour of Asim Sharif, a resident of Androon Haram Gate, Mohalla Tillanwali, Multan, on December 9, 2004. The decision was taken in light of a court ruling declaring the certificate fake and a subsequent cabinet decision taken on October 26, 2026.

    The cancellation brings to a close a long-running dispute over Butt’s eligibility to hold public office in Azad Kashmir. The controversy began when fellow members of the AJK Legislative Assembly challenged the validity of his state subject certificate in the High Court, after which the court ordered an inquiry into whether the document was genuine.

    According to The Azadi Times, a judicial inquiry conducted by the Deputy Commissioner (Rehabilitation) of Mirpur concluded that Butt had failed to defend the authenticity of his certificate, and the inquiry report — submitted to the Supreme Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the High Court and the Commissioner of Rehabilitation — declared the certificate fraudulent. The state subject certificate is a mandatory legal requirement for holding public office in Azad Kashmir.

    The matter had also been raised in court through a writ petition filed by former minister Muhammad Tahir Khokhar, who contended that four Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf members elected from Pakistan-based refugee constituencies, including Asim Sharif, had contested elections on forged state subject certificates. The High Court accepted the petition for regular hearing in 2023.

    Asim Sharif Butt served as a member of the AJK Legislative Assembly on a seat reserved for refugees and held the portfolio of Minister for Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs for five years. He was elected on a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf ticket in the July 2021 elections from LA-42, one of the six seats reserved for Pakistan-based refugees from the Indian-occupied Kashmir Valley.

    The state subject certificate is a key document establishing a person’s status as a state subject of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and it is a requirement for contesting elections to the Legislative Assembly on seats reserved for refugees. The cancellation follows the judicial finding that the certificate was not genuine, after which the matter was placed before the cabinet for a final decision.

    Officials said the Board of Revenue has formally cancelled the certificate and issued the notification, completing the process set in motion by the court ruling and the cabinet’s decision.

  • AJK Health Minister Inspects DHQ Bhimber, Orders Action Plan

    AJK Health Minister Inspects DHQ Bhimber, Orders Action Plan

    Azad Jammu and Kashmir Health Minister Dr Mustafa Bashir Abbasi visited the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Bhimber on Thursday, inspected its wards and facilities in detail, and directed officials to draw up a short, medium and long-term action plan to improve healthcare for the people of the district.

    During the visit, the minister toured the hospital’s administrative sections, wards and medical facilities and reviewed the treatment arrangements available to patients. He was briefed by District Health Officer Mirpur Dr Fida Hussain, Medical Superintendent of DHQ Hospital Dr Mehboob Ahmed Chaudhry, District Health Officer Bhimber Dr Shehzad Ghazanfar, Executive Engineer Mazhar Hussain and other officials of the health department.

    Dr Abbasi directed the hospital administration to implement a comprehensive strategy so that the public receives real relief. He said quality medical facilities must be provided in line with the vision of the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir, with better care for patients and easier access to treatment. He added that every patient visiting the hospital must receive facilities without discrimination, and that doctors and medical staff should perform their duties with a spirit of service.

    The minister said public health is among the government’s top priorities, and the treatment system in government hospitals is being improved through modern medical equipment, essential machinery, medicines and manpower. He said effective steps would be taken to give special relief to the people of Bhimber district in the health sector.

    The visit also included a detailed briefing on the project to set up a modern cath lab at DHQ Hospital Bhimber. Officials told the minister that work is under way to give practical shape to the project with substantial funds, and that the building and other necessary arrangements form part of the plan. The minister reviewed progress on the project and stressed its timely completion so that people can receive modern cardiac treatment close to home.

    Officials also briefed the minister on funding allocated for the hospital’s overall improvement, including a grant of around Rs970 million. The briefing covered around Rs102 million for human resources, funds for electromechanical needs and other medical and administrative facilities, a biomedical plan worth around Rs300 million, and a new approval of Rs30 million.

    The planned equipment includes an echo machine, high and medium monitors, cardiac monitors, ICU beds, ECG machines, blood pressure sets, ETT machines, wheelchairs, X-ray machines and other essential medical instruments. Improvements to the operation theatre, the ITC and other departments, along with electromechanical equipment and the availability of office and medical staff, are also under consideration.

    The minister directed the relevant authorities to ensure transparency, quality and adherence to timelines in all projects so that the benefits of the allocated funds reach the public directly. He said the short, medium and long-term plan, along with the government’s 100-day plan, would bring further facilities to the people.

    He also laid stress on making hospital administration, cleanliness, patient care and staff attendance more effective. The minister praised Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Tariq Farooq for his special interest and efforts for the improvement of the health sector in Bhimber, saying his work for public service and the development of the area deserves appreciation.

    Speaking to the media, Dr Abbasi said efforts are under way to bring hospitals across Azad Kashmir towards improvement on a priority basis, and that practical steps are being accelerated to provide better, quality and modern medical facilities to the public. He also inspected the hospital’s population welfare centre, where District Officer Samar Ali Khan briefed him on its work.

  • سابق صدر آزاد کشمیر راجہ ذوالقرنین انتقال کر گئے

    سابق صدر آزاد کشمیر راجہ ذوالقرنین انتقال کر گئے

    آزاد جموں و کشمیر کے سابق صدر راجہ محمد ذوالقرنین خان 93 برس کی عمر میں انتقال کر گئے۔ خاندانی ذرائع کے مطابق وہ مختصر علالت کے بعد ہفتے کے روز اسلام آباد کے ایک اسپتال میں دنیا سے رخصت ہوئے۔ ان کے انتقال کی خبر اتوار کو سامنے آئی، جس روز آزاد کشمیر حکومت نے ان کے احترام میں ایک روزہ سرکاری سوگ کا اعلان کیا۔

    راجہ ذوالقرنین 2006 سے 2011 تک آزاد جموں و کشمیر کے صدر کے عہدے پر فائز رہے۔ ریاست کے سب سے بڑے عہدے تک پہنچنے سے قبل وہ مسلم کانفرنس کی دو حکومتوں میں کابینہ کے رکن رہے، اور عہدہ چھوڑنے کے بعد بھی خطے کی سیاست میں ایک قابل احترام شخصیت کے طور پر جانے جاتے رہے۔

    اپنے دور صدارت اور اس سے قبل کابینہ میں رہتے ہوئے انہوں نے خطے کے انتظامی اور سیاسی امور میں اہم کردار ادا کیا۔ کئی دہائیوں پر محیط ان کی سیاسی زندگی میں وہ مختلف اہم ذمہ داریاں نبھاتے رہے، اور اسی لیے ان کا شمار آزاد کشمیر کے سینئر سیاستدانوں میں ہوتا تھا۔

    حکومت نے اعلان کیا کہ اتوار کو سرکاری عمارتوں پر ریاستی پرچم سرنگوں رہے گا۔ ان کی تدفین ضلع بھمبر کے آبائی گاؤں کسگومہ میں مکمل سرکاری اعزاز کے ساتھ کرنے کا حکم دیا گیا، جہاں اتوار کو صبح گیارہ بجے ان کی نماز جنازہ ادا کی گئی۔

    سرکاری اعزاز کے ساتھ تدفین

    راجہ ذوالقرنین کو اتوار کے روز بھمبر کے جنوبی ضلع میں واقع اپنے آبائی گاؤں کسگومہ میں مکمل سرکاری اعزاز کے ساتھ سپرد خاک کر دیا گیا۔ نماز جنازہ میں ان کے اہل خانہ، سیاسی رہنماؤں اور مقامی لوگوں نے بڑی تعداد میں شرکت کی، جو سابق صدر کو آخری سلام پیش کرنے کے لیے جمع ہوئے تھے۔

    ان کے انتقال پر آزاد کشمیر بھر سے تعزیتی پیغامات موصول ہوئے، جہاں انہیں ایک سینئر سیاستدان کے طور پر یاد کیا جا رہا ہے جنہوں نے کئی دہائیوں تک خطے کی خدمت کئی اہم عہدوں پر رہ کر کی۔ بھمبر کے بہت سے لوگوں کے لیے وہ علاقے کے ایک بیٹے بھی تھے، جن کا سفر ضلع سے شروع ہو کر ریاست کی صدارت تک پہنچا تھا۔

    یوم سوگ کے دوران سرکاری عمارتوں پر پرچم سرنگوں رہے، اور جنازے کے انتظامات سے ان کے عوامی مقام کا اندازہ ہوتا تھا۔ سرکاری اعزاز کے ساتھ تدفین ان شخصیات کے لیے مخصوص ہوتی ہے جنہوں نے اعلیٰ عہدہ سنبھالا ہو، اور حکومت کے اس فیصلے سے ظاہر ہوتا ہے کہ اس وقت کی حکومت ان کا کس قدر احترام کرتی تھی۔

    راجہ ذوالقرنین کا انتقال ایسے وقت میں ہوا ہے جب آزاد کشمیر ایک مشکل دور سے گزر رہا ہے، اور ان کے انتقال کی خبر خطے بھر میں دکھ کے ساتھ سنی گئی۔ ان کے اہل خانہ نے مرحوم کے لیے دعاؤں کی درخواست کی ہے، جب کہ آزاد کشمیر اور بیرون ملک سے سیاسی رہنماؤں، دوستوں اور خیر خواہوں کی جانب سے تعزیت کا سلسلہ جاری ہے۔

  • راولاکوٹ حملے میں زخمی سپاہی شہید

    راولاکوٹ حملے میں زخمی سپاہی شہید

    راولاکوٹ میں پولیس چوکی پر حملے میں شدید زخمی ہونے والا سندھ رینجرز کا سپاہی زخموں کی تاب نہ لاتے ہوئے شہید ہو گیا۔ آزاد جموں و کشمیر پولیس نے پیر کے روز اس کی شہادت کی تصدیق کی۔

    پولیس ترجمان کے مطابق نائیک بستان خان پانچ نومبر کو راولاکوٹ میں آزاد جموں و کشمیر پولیس کی چوکی پر مسلح افراد کی فائرنگ میں زخمی ہوا تھا۔ اسے علاج کے لیے منتقل کیا گیا، لیکن ڈاکٹر اسے بچا نہ سکے اور پولیس نے حملے کے چار روز بعد اس کی موت کا اعلان کیا۔

    ترجمان کے مطابق بستان خان کا تعلق ضلع کوہاٹ سے تھا اور وہ سندھ رینجرز میں خدمات انجام دے رہا تھا۔ مقامی پولیس کی جانب سے اضافی مدد طلب کیے جانے پر اسے آزاد جموں و کشمیر پولیس کے اہلکاروں کے ساتھ علاقے میں امن و امان برقرار رکھنے میں مدد کے لیے تعینات کیا گیا تھا۔

    پولیس کا کہنا ہے کہ حملہ آور ایک کالعدم تنظیم کے مسلح ارکان تھے۔ ترجمان نے کہا کہ اس گروہ نے عوامی حقوق کی بات کرتے ہوئے قانون نافذ کرنے والے اہلکاروں کو بار بار نشانہ بنایا ہے، اور فائرنگ کا یہ واقعہ پولیس اور دیگر سیکیورٹی فورسز کے خلاف تشدد کے اسی سلسلے کا حصہ ہے۔

    پولیس کا شہید کو خراج عقیدت

    اپنے بیان میں آزاد جموں و کشمیر پولیس نے سپاہی کی موت پر گہرے دکھ کا اظہار کیا اور اس کے اہل خانہ سے تعزیت کی۔ ترجمان نے کہا کہ بستان خان نے فرض کی ادائیگی کے دوران اپنی جان قربان کی اور اس کی قربانی ان قربانیوں کا حصہ ہے جو قانون نافذ کرنے والے اہلکار علاقے میں لوگوں کی جان و مال کے تحفظ کے لیے دے رہے ہیں۔

    پولیس نے کہا کہ اس طرح کے حملے فورس کے عزم کو کمزور نہیں کریں گے اور نہ ہی اس کے اہلکاروں کو اپنے فرائض کی انجام دہی سے روک سکیں گے۔ بیان میں مزید کہا گیا کہ قانون نافذ کرنے والے اہلکاروں پر حملہ کرنے والوں کو قانون کے تحت انصاف کے کٹہرے میں لایا جائے گا، اور حکام آزاد کشمیر بھر میں امن کی بحالی اور قانون کی حکمرانی کے لیے پرعزم ہیں۔

    یہ واقعہ ایسے وقت پیش آیا جب راولاکوٹ میں کشیدگی بڑھی ہوئی ہے اور حالیہ دنوں میں وہاں سیکیورٹی کی صورتحال غیر یقینی رہی ہے۔ اپوزیشن اتحاد تحریک تحفظ آئین پاکستان نے علاقے میں شہریوں کے خلاف طاقت کے مبینہ استعمال کی مذمت کی ہے اور تشدد کے خاتمے کے لیے فوری مذاکرات کا مطالبہ کیا ہے، جبکہ جموں کشمیر جوائنٹ عوامی ایکشن کمیٹی کی مشاورتی کونسل نے بھی فائرنگ بند کرنے اور بدامنی کی آزادانہ تحقیقات کا مطالبہ کیا ہے۔

    پولیس نے چوکی پر حملے کی تحقیقات کے بارے میں مزید تفصیلات جاری نہیں کیں۔ نائیک بستان خان کی موت علاقے میں تعینات سیکیورٹی اہلکاروں کا تازہ ترین نقصان ہے، جہاں افسران امن برقرار رکھنے کے لیے مشکل اور اکثر خطرناک حالات میں کام جاری رکھے ہوئے ہیں۔

  • Soldier Dies Days After AJK Police Post Attack

    Soldier Dies Days After AJK Police Post Attack

    A Sindh Rangers soldier who was seriously wounded in an attack on a police post in Rawalakot has died of his injuries, Azad Jammu and Kashmir Police confirmed on Monday.

    Naik Bostan Khan was injured on November 5 when armed men opened fire on an AJK Police post in Rawalakot, according to a police spokesperson. He was taken for treatment after the shooting, but doctors were unable to save him, and police announced his death four days after the attack.

    According to the spokesperson, Bostan Khan belonged to Kohat district and was serving with the Sindh Rangers. He had been deployed alongside AJK Police personnel to help maintain law and order in the region after the local police sought additional support.

    Police said the attackers were armed members of a banned organisation. The spokesperson said the group had repeatedly targeted law enforcement personnel while claiming to speak for public rights, and described the shooting as part of that pattern of violence against the police and other security forces.

    Police pay tribute to fallen soldier

    In its statement, the AJK Police expressed deep sorrow over the soldier’s death and offered condolences to his family. The spokesperson said Bostan Khan had laid down his life in the line of duty and that his sacrifice was part of the continuing price paid by law enforcement personnel working to protect lives and property in the region.

    Police said attacks of this kind would not weaken the resolve of the force or stop its personnel from carrying out their duties. The statement added that those responsible for attacking law enforcement officials would be brought to justice under the law, and that the authorities remained committed to restoring peace and upholding the rule of law across Azad Kashmir.

    The incident took place at a time of heightened tension in Rawalakot, where the security situation has remained unsettled in recent days. The opposition alliance Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan has condemned the reported use of force against civilians in the region and called for immediate talks to end the violence, while the advisory council of the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee has also urged an end to firing and an independent investigation into the unrest.

    Police have not released further details about the investigation into the attack on the post. The death of Naik Bostan Khan is the latest loss suffered by security personnel deployed in the region, where officers continue to work in difficult and often dangerous conditions to keep order.

  • Former AJK President Zulqarnain Passes Away

    Former AJK President Zulqarnain Passes Away

    Former Azad Jammu and Kashmir president Raja Mohammad Zulqarnain Khan has died at the age of 93, bringing to a close a long career in the politics of the region.

    According to family sources, he died at a hospital in Islamabad on Saturday after a brief illness. His death was reported on Sunday, when the Azad Kashmir government announced a day of official mourning in his honour.

    Raja Zulqarnain served as the president of Azad Jammu and Kashmir from 2006 to 2011. Before reaching the highest office in the state, he held cabinet positions in two governments formed by the Muslim Conference, and he remained a respected figure in the region’s politics long after leaving office.

    The government announced that the state flag would fly at half-mast on Sunday as a mark of respect. It also ordered that he be buried with full state honours in his native village of Kasguma in Bhimber district, where his funeral prayers were held at 11am on Sunday.

    Laid to rest with state honours

    Raja Zulqarnain was laid to rest on Sunday in Kasguma, his home village in the southern district of Bhimber, with full state honours. The funeral brought together family members, political figures and local residents who had gathered to pay their last respects to the former president.

    His passing drew tributes from across Azad Kashmir, where he was remembered as a senior statesman who had served the region in several important roles over many decades. For many in Bhimber, he was also a local son whose career had taken him from the district to the presidency of the state.

    The one-day mourning period saw official buildings lower their flags, and the arrangements for the funeral reflected the standing he held in public life. State honours at a burial are reserved for figures who have held high office, and the decision underlined the regard in which the former president was held by the government of the day.

    Raja Zulqarnain’s death comes at a time when Azad Kashmir is going through a difficult period, and the news of his passing was received with sadness across the region. His family has asked for prayers for the departed soul, and condolences have continued to reach them from political leaders, friends and well-wishers in Azad Kashmir and beyond.

  • AJK Arms Licences: Register in 10 Days or Lose Them

    AJK Arms Licences: Register in 10 Days or Lose Them

    The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has told everyone holding a weapon licence in the territory to get it registered at the nearest police station, no matter where the licence was originally issued.

    The order came in a notification from the AJK Home Department dated 5 November 2026, issued in the interest of public safety and the maintenance of law and order, according to a report in the Daily Parliament Times.

    Under the notification, the station house officer of the nearest police station, or an officer deputed by them, will record the particulars of every licence presented for registration and issue a registration slip to the licence holder. Police stations must also send a consolidated daily list of the licences registered that day to the deputy commissioner or district magistrate and the superintendent of police concerned.

    The warning in the notification is blunt. Any weapon licence not registered within 10 days of the notification’s publication will be treated as cancelled, irrespective of where it was issued. Anyone found possessing a weapon or ammunition without a duly registered licence will face legal proceedings, including arrest and confiscation of the weapon.

    Deputy commissioners and superintendents of police have been directed to give the order wide publicity through newspapers, mosques and local announcements, so that licence holders across the territory hear about it in time. The notification came into force with immediate effect.

    For licence holders, the practical effect is straightforward: a licence issued in one district must now also sit on the record of the police station nearest to where the holder lives. The registration slip issued by the station house officer will serve as proof that the licence has been entered in the local record.

    The notification does not change the conditions on which a licence was originally granted; it adds a registration step at the holder’s nearest police station. Holders should keep the registration slip with the licence, as it is the record that the licence has been entered in the local police record.

    The directive applies to all weapon licences held by residents of Azad Kashmir, regardless of the place of issuance. Holders who miss the 10-day window risk losing the licence altogether, and carrying a weapon on an unregistered licence could lead to arrest and the weapon being taken away.

  • Rangers Soldier Dies Days After Attack on AJK Police Post

    Rangers Soldier Dies Days After Attack on AJK Police Post

    A soldier of the Sindh Rangers has died in hospital days after being critically wounded in a firing attack on a police post in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Monday.

    Naik Bostan Khan, who hailed from Kohat district, had been deployed alongside Azad Kashmir Police when armed men opened fire on the post in Rawalakot on November 5. He was left critically injured and died on Monday, November 9.

    According to police, the attackers were armed elements of a banned organisation, which was not named in the official account of the incident.

    An Azad Kashmir Police spokesperson said the attack showed the violent conduct of armed elements of the banned organisation, who continue to target law enforcement agencies under the pretext of advocating public rights, adding that such attacks undermine peace and stability in the region.

    Azad Kashmir Police expressed deep sorrow and grief over the soldier’s death and paid tribute to his sacrifice. The spokesperson said those involved in attacks on law enforcement personnel would be brought to justice and that the authorities remained determined to maintain security.

    The death comes amid heightened tensions in the region, where police posts and patrols have faced a series of attacks in recent months. Officials say security has been tightened around sensitive installations and that operations against armed groups are continuing.

    Naik Bostan Khan’s funeral arrangements were being made in his home district, where family members and colleagues gathered to pay their respects.

    Rawalakot, the town where the attack took place, is the headquarters of Poonch district in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and serves as an important administrative centre for the region. Police posts in the area work alongside paramilitary personnel to maintain security at checkpoints and public buildings.

    The Sindh Rangers, a federal paramilitary force, are regularly deployed to assist police in different parts of the country, including Azad Kashmir, where they support local law enforcement in guarding sensitive sites and responding to security threats.

    Police officials said investigations into the attack were continuing and that efforts were under way to identify and arrest those responsible. They added that security around police posts in the area had been reviewed following the incident.

  • AJK Shutdown in Six Districts as JAAC Offers Talks

    AJK Shutdown in Six Districts as JAAC Offers Talks

    A partial shutdown was observed on Monday across six districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir in response to a protest call by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which has also offered negotiations with the authorities and appealed to Pakistan’s military leadership to halt security operations.

    Markets and commercial establishments remained partially closed in Muzaffarabad, Haveli, Neelum, Kotli, Mirpur and Bhimber, while business activity continued largely uninterrupted in Bagh and Jhelum Valley. The uneven response reflected varying levels of support for the protest call across the region, although demonstrations and commercial closures extended well beyond Rawalakot, the centre of the latest confrontation.

    The shutdown followed a call issued by the JAAC on November 7 in protest against security operations in Rawalakot, where several civilians were reportedly killed during confrontations involving security forces between November 5 and 7.

    The casualty figures remain disputed and could not be independently reconciled. Initial accounts from Rawalakot reported three civilian deaths and at least 18 injuries. Subsequent reports suggested a higher toll, with some accounts putting the number of fatalities at seven. The JAAC has reported five deaths in the immediate confrontation.

    In a letter dated November 8, the action committee appealed to Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s army chief, to intervene and bring an immediate end to security operations in Rawalakot and other affected areas. The committee also wrote to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Dr Mushtaq, seeking their help in facilitating a peaceful settlement.

    In its letter, the JAAC alleged that drones, mortar shells and other heavy weapons had been used against protesters, and claimed that around 150 people had been killed since the protest movement began in June, although that cumulative figure has not been independently verified. Protest representatives have accused security forces of using heavy weapons against demonstrators and residential areas. Police, however, have maintained that armed individuals attacked security personnel during operations to clear protest encampments and reopen roads.

    In a parallel development, the JAAC’s overseas advisory committee issued a separate proposal on November 8, offering immediate negotiations with the authorities under the supervision of independent observers. It proposed that authorised delegations from the government and the JAAC meet within 24 hours at a mutually acceptable neutral location, with an immediate cessation of firing, a verified list of detainees to be released, and the restoration of mobile and internet services in affected areas.

    The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has expressed concern over the violence in Rawalakot and called for meaningful dialogue and independent media access to the affected areas. However, there was no confirmed indication by Monday evening that the authorities had accepted the proposed timetable or agreed to negotiations in the presence of independent observers.

    Tensions also surfaced in Jhelum Valley on November 8, when protesters reportedly attempted to obstruct the route of Prime Minister Barrister Syed Iftikhar Ali Gilani as he returned from an official visit. According to local accounts, stones were placed on the road in an attempt to stop his convoy, and several people were reportedly detained, although their identities and the precise number of arrests were not immediately available.

    With protests now extending across several districts, the coming days are likely to test whether the authorities respond to the committee’s offer of negotiations or continue to rely primarily on security measures.

  • وزیراعظم آزاد کشمیر: انتشار پسندوں کو مسترد کر دیں

    وزیراعظم آزاد کشمیر: انتشار پسندوں کو مسترد کر دیں

    آزاد جموں و کشمیر کے وزیراعظم افتخار گیلانی نے کہا ہے کہ عوام کے مطالبات جائز ہو سکتے ہیں، لیکن کسی کو تحریک کی آڑ میں عوام کے جذبات سے کھیل کر آزاد کشمیر یا ریاست کو نقصان پہنچانے کی اجازت نہیں دی جائے گی۔ لیپا ویلی میں ایک عوامی اجتماع سے خطاب کرتے ہوئے انہوں نے عوام سے اپیل کی کہ وہ انتشار پسندوں کو مسترد کر دیں اور ترقی و خوشحالی کے لیے متحد رہیں۔

    وزیراعظم نے کہا کہ ریاست کے خلاف سازش کرنے والے ناکام ہوں گے اور عوام جانتے ہیں کہ حالیہ بے چینی کے پیچھے کون ہے۔ انہوں نے لائن آف کنٹرول کے ساتھ رہنے والے عوام کی ہمت اور عزم کو خراج تحسین پیش کیا اور کہا کہ مشکل حالات کے باوجود ان کا حوصلہ بلند ہے۔ انہوں نے ایل او سی پر تعینات پاک فوج کے جوانوں کو بھی سلام پیش کیا۔

    ترقیاتی منصوبوں پر بات کرتے ہوئے وزیراعظم نے اعلان کیا کہ لیپا ویلی کے لیے جامع سیاحتی ترقیاتی حکمت عملی تیار کرنے کے لیے مشیران کی خدمات حاصل کی جائیں گی۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ وادی کی قدرتی خوبصورتی کو اجاگر کرنے، سیاحوں کو راغب کرنے اور مقامی افراد کے لیے روزگار پیدا کرنے کے لیے قابل عمل منصوبے تیار کیے جائیں گے۔

    انہوں نے کہا کہ بے روزگاری کا خاتمہ اور بنیادی ڈھانچے، خصوصاً سڑکوں کی بہتری حکومت کی ترجیحات میں شامل ہے۔ حکومت اعلیٰ تعلیم تک رسائی بہتر بنانے کے لیے بھی کام کرے گی اور لیپا ویلی کے مستحق طلبہ کو ملک بھر کی معروف سرکاری و نجی جامعات میں تعلیم حاصل کرنے کے لیے مالی معاونت فراہم کی جائے گی۔

    وزیراعظم نے مزید کہا کہ بنیادی مراکز صحت اور دیہی طبی سہولیات کو مرحلہ وار بہتر بنایا جائے گا اور آنے والے دنوں میں وادی کے لیے کئی ترقیاتی منصوبے متعارف کرائے جائیں گے۔ ان منصوبوں کا مقصد وادی کے عوام کی زندگی میں بہتری لانا اور انہیں بنیادی سہولیات ان کی دہلیز پر فراہم کرنا ہے۔

    کشمیر تنازع پر حکومت کے موقف کی توثیق کرتے ہوئے وزیراعظم نے کہا کہ اس کا مقصد اقوام متحدہ کی قراردادوں کے مطابق کشمیریوں کو حق خودارادیت دلانا ہے۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ حکومت اپنے عوام کے حقوق کے تحفظ اور خطے کی ترقی کے لیے اپنی کوششیں جاری رکھے گی۔