Jurisdiction of NAB likely to be extended to AJK soon
Our Correspondent Mirpur (AJK)
Azad Jammu Kashmir State President Barrister Sultan Muhammad Chaudhry here Tuesday said that he had strictly advised the AJK government to ensure holding of the local bodies elections in Azad Jammu Kashmir within next six (6) months in all respect in order the ensure the transfer of power to the masses at grass root level in the State as categorically declared in the manifesto of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (AJK).
Sultan was talking to local journalists at the side line of the reception hosted in his honour by the local PTI stalwart Waheed Pothi at Pothi village near here on the eve of his first visit to his hometown of Mirpur after taking over the office of the President of Azad Jammu Kashmir State.
The AJK President was flanked by Akhter Rabbani, AJK minister for law, parliamentary affairs and information during his visit.
Barrister Sultan continued that the PTI’s manifesto already clearly spoke of holding of the civic polls within next three months after coming into power in the State.
He added that during recent meeting with the AJK Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan Niazi, he recommended to the Prime Minister for holding the local bodies elections in the State within next 06 months – so that local problems of the masses could be solved through their local elected representatives close to their door steps.
Barrister Sultan revealed that the idea of extending the jurisdiction of National Accountability Bureau of Pakistan (NAB) to Azad Jammu Kashmir was under serious consideration of the PTI’s popularly elected government of AJK.
He observed that AJK Accountability (Ehtesab) Bureau was litterly made ineffective and powerless through defusing the Ehtasab Act by the immediate-past PML-N led AJK government of PM Farooq Haider to hoodwink the ill-deeds and massive corruption during their 05-year term in power.
“The coming accountability process would be naked and no corrupt would be left unpunished – as manifested in the categorical commitment of the PTI to the masses”, he added.
Referring to his priorities being President of Azad Jammu Kashmir, Barrister Sultan Mahmood said that highlighting the urgent need of immediate settlement of Kashmir issue according to the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, at international level would be at the top of his priorities.
He said at the first of his integrated plan to raise Kashmir issue the world over, he would visit to London.
Jeneva, Norway, Brussels and other countries to apprise the comity of nations of the gravity of the situation in South Asia following inordinate delay in peaceful settlement of Kashmir issue – the major bone of contention between India and Pakistan – the arch rival neighbors of nuclear capabilities, he added.
Referring to the recent developments in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of US-led foreign forces facing convincing defeat in over 20-years long war on the soil, the AJK President said that it was an unequivocal massage to India that New Delhi could not maintain its unlawful occupation over the Indian Illegally held Jammu Kashmir State at the might of her military power for further long time.
