AJK’s PM-elect not from elite class: Firdous

LAHORE:Special Assistant to Chief Minister (SACM) Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Wednesday said that Prime Minister-elect of Azad Kashmir Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi was nominated for the slot by Prime Minister Imran Khan for his true affiliation with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) which was a step towards for bringing about real change in the AJK.

She said that by nominating Abdul Qayyum Niazi as PTI candidate for AJK prime minister, the PTI had laid the foundation of change and genuine representation of the people of the region. Talking to the media after inaugurating development works at F Block of Journalist Colony here, the SACM said the PTI was the most popular party in the country as it had defeated the opposition parties in the AJK, GB and Sialkot by-elections. Prime Minister Imran Khan nominated such a candidate for the office of AJK prime minister who was a genuine party worker who was not from the elite class.

The SACM commented that division in PMLN was visible now as its central leadership was divided into groups and every group was heading opposite to each other on separate stance. The party was in a shock after continuous defeats in GB, AJK and Sialkot by-elections, she maintained. She said the Punjab province under the leadership of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar was delivering on every front. The government is making sincere efforts for the welfare of the journalist fraternity as well, she said.

The development works and maintenance problems of Journalist Housing Colony would be solved on a priority basis, whereas, work on establishing phase-II of Journalist Colony had been started as the departments concerned had been asked to identify state land for the purpose. She said the government was also ensuring provision of all possible facilities to journalists and the health insurance cards would also be provided to them on a priority.

The chief minister had also announced journalist housing colonies in every division and the commissioners concerned have been asked to identify the state land to fulfill the promise made with the journalists, she added.