AJK govt to cooperate with UN for achieving SDGs: Niazi

MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi has said the AJK government will extend full cooperation to the United Nations and its subsidiaries to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He was talking to a high-level delegation led by Julian Harness, coordinator for Pakistan to the UN Resident and Florence Rowley, FAO representative here Thursday. AJK Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan and other officials concerned were also present on the occasion. He said the government is taking concrete steps to achieve the targets of sustainable development in Azad Kashmir and added that Azad Kashmir is the most developed region of the country with a literacy rate of 77%. He said the region has been polio-free for 21 years and its HDI is ahead of the rest of Pakistan. AJK premier said Azad Kashmir is facing environmental problems and changing natural course of rivers has led to environmental problems. He said immediate steps are required to deal with these problems and strategies are being adopted to address the problems that have arisen due to diversion of rivers and also to deal with the negative effects of these projects.

He said a comprehensive report is being prepared for this purpose which will be presented to Prime Minister Imran Khan so that practical steps can be taken for permanent solution of environmental problems.

Speaking on the occasion, Julian Harris said to achieve sustainable development in Azad Kashmir, the United Nations and its subsidiaries will work closely with the AJK government to ensure health,