Nawaz names Farooq Haider as AJK PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, while nominating Raja Farooq Haider as new prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), has reminded the ruling legislators from AJK that zero tolerance about corruption would be hallmark of the new administration and no compromise would be permitted on merit.

Addressing the maiden parliamentary group meeting of AJK legislators of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) after overwhelming victory in Thursday last polls in the state, he has given guidelines to the new administration for AJK and said that the PML-N has won the election on the agenda of development, clean and neat government which would emulate Pakistan’s model.

The prime minister convened the meeting on Wednesday at the Prime Minister's House here to felicitate the new members of the Legislative Assembly and nomination of the leader of the house for it. Raja Farooq Haider has served as prime minister earlier, and he is currently president of the PM-N AJK chapter.

Prime Minister Nawaz, who has agitated the Kashmir issue in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) twice, maintained that Kashmir dispute is the part of the agenda of the world body while it is also incomplete agenda of division of the Subcontinent. Greeting the people of AJK for being inhabitant of free country and atmosphere, the prime minister assured the people of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) that “our hearts throb with their hearts. We stand shoulder to shoulder with them in their struggle. Pakistan would always keep extending moral and diplomatic support as right of self-determination is the birth right of the people of Kashmir. Pakistan will continue to raise its voice on every forum for their inalienable right.”

He impressed upon the democratic representatives of the people of AJKzad Kashmir to keep working to provide assistance to their brethren in the IOK, and they must put up their efforts day and night for the purpose. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif asked the members of the AJK Legislative Assembly that the new government in the state should work for strong, transparent, corruption free administration which must assure system that is based on merit.

For the purpose formation of an honest and capable cabinet is essential so that the era of upcoming government should be remembered in the history as the “time of progress and transparency.” He said that the mandate given to the PML-N is for progress and development. The federal government would provide all possible assistance to Azad Jammo and Kashmir administration. “The top priority of the new administration in Azad Kashmir should be infrastructure, education, health and create of job opportunities.

"The AJK people would desire to see a positive change in the way of new government in Azad Kashmir,” he added. Federal ministers Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Chaudhary Barjees Tahir and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) for Political Affairs Dr Syed Asif Saeed Kirmani were also present who spearheaded the election campaign of the PML-N in AJK.

The prime minister paid rich tribute to the trio for its untiring efforts. Leader of the House in Senate and Chairman of the PML-N Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq, former President of Azad Kashmir and Senior Vice President of the PML-N Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan, Federal Ministers Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Khawaja Asif and Secretary to the Prime Minister (SPM) Fawad Hasan Fawad were also in attendance.

Felicitating the newly elected members, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that they had put up great efforts to undertake successful election campaign. “I salute your steadfastness and resilience since you have undertaken a campaign which was difficult one.”

The members of Legislative Assembly thanked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and said that the people of Azad Kashmir have discarded the politics of agitation and abuse. They have voted for the progress and development made by the government in Pakistan under Nawaz Sharif. It is a tribute to the leadership of Nawaz Sharif from the people of AJK.

They assured the prime minister that they would try their level best to live up the expectations of the people of Azad Kashmir, and the confidence that he reposed in them.“We will serve the people of Azad Kashmir day and night.”

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif assured the legislator that the standard being maintained in the developmental projects in Pakistan would also be followed and adhered in AJK. The government would put up the best efforts with the same zeal and pace for the development of basic structure, education and health in AJK as being followed in Pakistan.

He regretted that no development has been made in AJK during last five years, and the new government would establish connectivity network so that the people should come close to each other and rapid development would become possible.