MIRPUR: Describing Poonch as a land of martyrs and valiant war veterans, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan Sunday said the people of the area had offered matchless sacrifices in the freedom movement of Kashmir.
“The liberated territory now known as Azad Jammu and Kashmir was freed by our forefathers by offering unprecedented sacrifices in 1947 and our children, women, young and old are still offering sacrifices due to Indian shelling at Line of Control (LoC),” he said.
The president made the remarks while addressing a public gathering during his visit To forward / LoT village of Tatta pani in Kotli district on Sunday.
Sardar Masood said the government would prioritise welfare of the public by providing all facilities, including upgrading and construction of roads, establishing water schemes, providing universal access to health and educational facilities, and modernising existing agricultural practices in the region.
He said the AJK government had always focused on holistic development programmes. It had taken requisite steps by doubling the development budget and equitable distribution of funds.
The president paid rich tribute to the people living near the Line of Control, saying they were the first line of defence, who were being directly targeted by the Indian forces. He condemned the unprovoked fire by the Indian forces which targeted innocent civilians, their property, schools and even their livestock.
He said that the people along the LOC had been living in constant threat and the government would provide them health facilities. Basic health units would be built and an effective ambulance service would also be provided for the people of Tattapani and other areas adjoining the LOC, he added.
The AJK president also assured that efforts would be made to upgrade Tattapani to the status of a sub-division.
He strongly condemned India’s moves towards repealing Article 35-A in order to illegally transform the demography inside the occupied Kashmir. “We will oppose this move,” he said, adding that the people and governments of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir supported the stance of the Hurriyat leaders and the people of Jammu and Kashmir against the revocation of Article 35-A.
The gathering was also addressed by Chaudhry Yaseen Gulshan, AJK Minister for Zakat and Auqaaf and Sardar Zahid Aziz Mughal, Advisor to President Azad Kashmir. The event was attended by a large number of ruling party workers, notables of Tattapani. APP