Monday, April 7, 2008, Rabi Ul Awal 29,1429    

Local bodies polls in AJK after new budget: Attique

Hameed Shaheen

Muzaffarabad—Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir has said that local bodies polls would be held after coming budget for the financial year 2008-09 with required improvements and amendments in the relevant laws and regulations, said a message received from UK.

Addressing big meetings of his party All J&K Muslim Conference in Oldham and Bradford he said that the present government in AJK wanted to raise the structure of democracy from the union councils wards to throw open the opportunities to the grassroot masses for their involvement in the development process. The meetings were addressed by a number of speakers including Consul General Pakistan High Commission Tariq Iqbal Soomro, Addl Secretary General Fida Kiani, Convenor Raja Aftab Sharif, Raja Idris, Raja Najabat Hussain, Raja Mehrban, Councillor Bradford Chris Hopkins, Haji Zulfikar, Sajid Pinoo, and Sohail.

Responding to questions from the audience the Prime Minister asked the Consul General of Pakistan High Commission to send him directly summary of backhome requirements of Kashmiri immigrants regularly for urgent redressal. Responding to Councillor Chris Hopkins the Prime Minister said that the best way to root out extremism was to open up dialogue among communities and change of basic attitudes. “I am impressing upon the Kashmiri settlers in the United Kingdom to integrate themselves fully with the institutions of the host society, i. e. British society.

He said that a special committee under the chairmanship of Minister Raja Nisar Ahmed has been set up to see the areas of injustices and recommend measures for rectification. Responding another question he told the audience that the peace process between Pakistan and India would continue in relation to Kashmir dispute. The democratic coalition of Prime Minister Makhdoom Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani would push forward the process.

He said that Prime Minister of Pakistan would visit Azad Kashmir on April 20, 2008. This will be his first visit after assuming the office of premiership in Pakistan.

This shows his keen interest in the welfare of the Kashmiris. Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani belonged to a respectable political family and has won a unanimous majority in the National Assembly of Pakistan.