Barrister Sultan sworn in as AJK president

MUZAFFARABAD: Newly elected President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry was sworn in as the President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir at a ceremony held here on Wednesday. Azad Jammu and Kashmir Supreme Court Chief Justice, Justice Raja Saeed Akram Khan administered the oath.

Addressing after the oath taking ceremony, President Barrister Sultan Mehamood Choudhary said that his first and foremost priority is the liberation of occupied Kashmir and will continue to project the Kashmir issue in its true perspective and Indian forces atrocities internationally. He said Indian government after abrogating the 370 and 35 of the Indian constitution the statues of occupied Kashmir has been changed but despite Indian illegal and immoral action; India has failed to crush liberation struggle launched by the people of occupied Kashmir for attaining their internationally recognized right to self-determination even with the use of military force and assured that a strong voice will be raised from the base camp. He warned India to learn lessons from Afghanistan as the voice of the people struggling for liberation could not be suppressed with the use of military force.

The president pointed out that nine lack Indian forces have failed to crush the indigenous freedom struggle launched by the people of occupied Kashmir and assured to the people who attended the oath taking ceremony that he will make justice with the office of the president and will devote his energies for liberation of occupied Kashmir and to make Azad Kashmir a welfare oriented state.

The president said that there is vast potential of tourism, Hydro power and minerals in Azad Kashmir and therefore steps would be taken to make Azad Kashmir economically strengthen and in this context he underlined the need for holding local bodies' election to transfer the power at gross root level.

He said overseas Kashmiri are a great asset and they have played a vibrant role in protecting the Kashmir issue at international level. He urged the leader of the House, leader of the opposition and all the members of the assembly to give the right of votes to the overseas Kashmir and make necessary legislation in this regard.

He also called for increasing the seats of women in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly. Later a smartly turned out police contingent presented a guard of honor to the president.

The ceremony was attended by AJK Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi, the outgoing President Sardar Masood Khan, Federal Minister for Kashmir affairs Ali Amin Gandapur, members of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir legislative Assembly Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan and high ranking civil and military officials.