Muzaffarabad, January 09, 2020 (PPI-OT): Azad Jammu and Kashmir President Sardar Masood Khan has unequivocally said the people of Pakistan and AJK – in the length and cranny of the world – are determined to take the Kashmir liberation movement to its ultimate goal and “they will not allow any negligence in regard to the decades-old conflict”.
Talking to a delegation of refugees from Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) at Aiwan-e-Sadr in Muzaffarabad on Wednesday, he said New Delhi is attempting to create frustration among Kashmiris living on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) through rumours to weaken the bond between Pakistan and IOK.
The Himalayan region has been under clampdown for the last 157 days since the Modi government stripped the valley of its special autonomy.
“The citizens of Azad Kashmir living along the LoC are valiantly facing the Indian aggression – while our 40,000 brethren, who had migrated from Occupied Kashmir, in spite of their problems – remain committed to the liberation movement,” President Masood said, adding that India would never succeed in its heinous attempts.
He also said that the problems of Kashmiri refugees will be resolved one-by-one. “We believe that Azad Kashmir and Occupied Kashmir are two parts of the same state, and the refugees from the occupied valley also have equal rights as their brothers and sisters enjoy in the liberated territory.” While giving assurance to the displaced people, the AJK president said problems like insufficient accommodation in refugee camps, lack of health and educational facilities and monthly cash allowance would be addressed by the state government.
Earlier, talking to Chairman Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister’s Task Force on Social Youth Development Sajid Mir, President Masood said the people of both Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan are “intertwined with historical, cultural and socio-economic bonds, and their hearts beat together”.
He went on to say that geographically, the future of G-B and Azad Kashmir is common. Abiding by the commitment made during his visit to G-B last year, he said that seats reserved for the students of Gilgit-Baltistan in all public sector universities of Azad Kashmir have been increased manifold, and several more steps are being taken in this regard.
“We are trying to vest 4.1 million youth of both the regions with the entrepreneurship skills by launching joint ventures, and to make them abreast with the modern technologies.” On this occasion, Mir proposed to launch academic and tourism related exchange programmes to bridge gap between the youth of AJK and G-B.
Besides, training programmes should be launched for unskilled educated youth of both the regions, he said, adding that a training institute should be established in Islamabad by mutual cooperation of the governments of both AJK and G-B. Mir also reiterated that promotion of tourism on the route of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is rich in mineral and other natural resources can “turn this region into a developed and prosperous region”. The delegation appreciated President Masood for effectively highlighting Kashmir issue on different forums around the world.
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