Monday, May 12, 2008, Jamadi-ul-Awwal 5, 1429    

Plan kicks for AJK tourism, socio-economic sector uplift

Mirpur —An integrated broad-based plan has been kicked off for the uplift of socio-economic and tourism sectors in Azad Jammu Kashmir. The plan primarily involves the promotion of adventure tourism in Azad Jammu Kashmir through launching various projects under private-public partnership, official sources said.
The sources told APP here Sunday that in order to materialize the idea of making AJK a most attractive hub of tourism in South Asia, an international tourism conference would be held in Mirpur in February next year under the auspices of AJK government. Various world fame tourism organizations will be invited to attend the scheduled global moot on tourism. The sources said while referring to the government’s resolve to ameliorate the life style of common man and to accelerate the pace of construction work on the ongoing development projects in the liberated area, that the government has directed the concerned machinery to identify the problems of the common man coupled with the health proposal for their rapid solution. The sources revealed that in order to promote the technical education in AJK, a Technical Education Board would also be set up in the near future. The government has also directed the state-controlled Azad Jammu Kashmir Logging & Sawmills Corporation to set up Artisan Schools at Mirpur and Muzaffarabad for producing the skilled man-power related to the wooden Industry.
The sources revealed that Chambers of Commerce & industry were being set up in all rest of the districts of Azad Jammu Kashmir for the sake of accelerating the trade and commerce activities across Azad area. The AJK government officials to accelerate the work for the execution of the projects like Export Processing Zone, Industrial Estates and the proposed Mirpur International Airport in the private sector. The AJK government has decided in principal to invite overseas Kashmiris in various development and educational activities besides the business and industrial sector.
An Overseas Kashmiris Cell is also proposed to be set up soon at the Prime Minister Secretariat in Muzaffarabad for maintaining constant laison with them in order to provide them all required information related to the development activities for ensuring their maximum participation in all spheres of life, the sources said.
In order to promote the sport activities including first class cricket in the area, the AJK government has already decided to set up Kashmir Cricket Board for promoting the first class cricket in AJK where a world-standard Quaid-e-Azam International Sport Stadium is already available in the model city of Mirpur.—APP