Daily Times

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry on Saturday inaugurated 14 km long three important Dual Carriageways in lake view city of Mirpur costing 1.1 billion rupees.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony, the President said that the federal government was requested to provide funds to Azad Kashmir so that the work could be completed on the ongoing development projects across the liberated territory. Drawing parallels between Indian occupied Kashmir and Azad Kashmir, he said if an airport can be built in Srinagar then an airport should also be built in Mirpur.

Earlier, Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry who was accompanied by government ministers including Chaudhry Arshad Hussain and Chaudhry Yasir Sultan, laid the foundation stone of the 3.25 km long Dual Carriage road from Mangala Entry Point to Sahib Chak in Mirpur. The road will be completed at a cost of 354 million rupees. Later, the president laid a foundation stone of the 7.5 km Dual Carriage Road from Y-cross to Chowk Shaheedan to Kotli Road costing 540 million rupees. He also inaugurated the project of construction of 3 km long Hall Road in Mirpur city at a cost of 250 million rupees. Barrister Sultan was given a detailed briefing on the project.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that Azad Kashmir’s competition in terms of development was not with the provinces of Pakistan, but with Indian occupied Kashmir. Referring to his visit to occupied Kashmir, he said, ” I have visited Occupied Kashmir and have seen the conditions there”. He said that there was a dire need that the pace of development work in Azad Kashmir should be improved.

He said that the government has taken better measures for the development and prosperity of the people. He said that foundation stone of Mirpur dry port has been laid and an airport will be constructed in the city when the economic situation in Pakistan would improve. He said that the state cannot develop unless it has strong and functional infrastructure. Establishing best road infrastructure in the State he said was one of his priorities. Good roads and better transportation facilities, he said would lead to development of business and establishment of industries in the state.

Later, the AJK President chaired a special meeting in which he was given a detailed briefing regarding the delay in the construction of the Rathoa Hariyam Bridge. The meeting was attended by government Minister Chaudhry Arshad Hussain, Minister for Physical Planning and Housing Chaudhry Yasir Sultan, Member Legislative Assembly Chaudhry Qasim Majeed, Secretary Presidential Affairs Dr. Asif Hussain, Commissioner Mirpur Division Chaudhry Shaukat, DIG Mirpur Khalid Chauhan, and several others.