Report: Naseem Hassan/ANI
LEEPA VALLEY: Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Iftikhar Gilani on Sunday paid tribute to the people living along the Line of Control (LoC) for their courage and resilience in the face of Indian aggression.
Addressing a large public gathering in Leepa Valley, the Prime Minister said intermittent and unprovoked cross-LoC shelling by the Indian Army had failed to weaken the spirit of local residents.
Emphasising the need for a progressive, tolerant and peaceful society, he said lasting peace and stability in the state required the elimination of elements promoting unrest and violence. He added that even legitimate demands could not justify the use of violent means, warning that such activities were damaging the Kashmir freedom movement.
Paying tribute to the Pakistan Army, Prime Minister Gilani acknowledged the sacrifices of soldiers deployed along the LoC in defence of the country's territorial integrity. He said Azad Kashmir had a tradition of peace, mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and tolerance.
The Prime Minister said the AJK government's responsibilities included both developing the liberated territory and highlighting the Kashmir issue in its historical perspective to secure international support for the Kashmiri people's right to self-determination.
Announcing development initiatives for Leepa Valley, he unveiled a comprehensive plan to promote tourism and invited local residents to submit practical proposals for projects aimed at creating employment opportunities.
He said steps were being taken to improve roads and other basic infrastructure, while children from the valley would be provided opportunities for higher education at leading public and private universities across the country.
Prime Minister Gilani also announced that all Basic Health Units (BHUs) and Rural Health Centres (RHCs) in Leepa would be upgraded in phases. Recruitment for government jobs through a third-party process would begin within the next three months, he added.
Earlier, the Prime Minister received a warm welcome upon his arrival, with PML-N workers raising slogans in his support.
The gathering was also addressed by Minister for Health and Population Welfare Dr Mustafa Bashir, former minister Chaudhry Muhammad Rasheed, Member Kashmir Council Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed, Raja Sohail Nasir Khan, Aziz Ahmed Budhan, Ehsan-ul-Haq Shami, Riaz Gilani, Saif-ur-Rehman, Malik Shaukat, Salman Awan and others.
