Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Ali Amin Khan Gandapur has said that provision of basic life facilities to the people of entire country was his government’s top most priority. He emphasized that his government was focusing on those development projects which would have direct positive impact on lives of general public. He was chairing a high level meeting here in Islamabad regarding Federal government’s PSDP programme of next financial year for Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting was also attended by Secretary Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, Tariq Mehmood Pasha, Additional Secretary Kashmir Affairs, Additional Chief Secretary AJK government, IG AJK police and other senior officers of concerned departments. The Federal Minister reviewed overall development portfolio of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting finalized the projects for AJK that would be included in the PSDP programme of next financial year. The Minister said that project for rehabilitation of affected population along LOC, worth five billion rupees would be given top most priority in next year’s PSDP programme. The Minister said that protection and provision of basic health and educational facilities to people residing on LOC was prime duty of his government. All efforts would be made to facilitate the people residing on LOC, who had been proving the first line of defense of AJK and Pakistan against any Indian aggression, he added. The Minister highlighted that proposed project would include the development of safety bunkers, emergency health units, access roads, and provision of electricity to localities along LOC. The Minister informed that a comprehensive programme regarding provision of missing educational and health facilities in entire AJK is also being included in PSPD programme, which would have a far reaching impact on lives of people living in AJK. Underlining the importance of tourism sector for development of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the Federal Minister said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had a special vision to develop tourism sector of Pakistan, in which AJK and GB owned a very special position. The Minister said that government is also going to include much aspired 200kms long tourism corridor project in PSDP programme of next year. The development of this corridor would usher a new era of development in tourism sector of AJK, he added. He also emphasized that development of this project would go a long way in attracting foreign investment in tourism sector of AJK. He further said that he was sanguine that development of this corridor would not only prove helpful in alleviating poverty in AJK but would also lead to economic stability and prosperity in AJK. He directed to design this project in such a manner that it could connect all important tourist sites located in AJK hence becoming a part of master planning of tourism sector of Pakistan. The Minister reiterated that his government was committed to go an extra mile in development of AJK and GB and all possible resources would be provided in this regard. ***** ?
PREVIOUS NEXT
