Daily Times

MIRPUR (AJK): On Monday, Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi said that overseas Kashmiris, would be granted their legitimate right to vote in the light of recently decision by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government.

He added that the government of Pakistan has achieved historic success by passing a record 33 laws in a single day in the recently held joint session of Parliament.

AJK Prime Minister said, “By the grace of Allah, the PTI government in the center will not only complete five years but also the people of Pakistan will repose their confidence in it by giving it a mandate for the next five years”, he said.

“Opposition stands completely exposed today and its efforts aimed at destabilising the country have miserably failed”, the PM said.

Hailing Prime Minister Imran Khan’s political acumen Niazi expressed the optimism that the federal government of PTI would not only complete its 5-year constitutional term but also win the next elections.

Terming Overseas Pakistanis as a great asset for the party (PTI), the AJK PM said that Overseas Pakistanis’ role to materialize the dream of a new Pakistan has been highly commendable.

“The revolutionary decision to give them the right to vote reflects the courageous leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan”, Niazi said, adding his government in Azad Kashmir would soon enact legislation to give the right to vote to Kashmiris living abroad.

Overseas Kashmiris, he said, were the ambassadors of the Kashmiris’ freedom movement and identity of Azad Kashmir. “Inshallah (God willing), overseas Kashmiris will also play a pro-active role in the creation of new Azad Jammu and Kashmir”, the prime minister said, adding that about one million citizens of Azad Kashmir live in Europe, especially in the United Kingdom whereas about half a million live or work in the Middle East, North America and Canada.

Referring to the Kashmiri expat community’s contribution to the local economy, PM Niazi said, “A large part of the population of Azad Jammu and Kashmir is dependent on their remittances”.

The diaspora community, he said, has so far played a significant role in the economic and social development of Azad Kashmir.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Azad Kashmir, he said, had also promised in its election manifesto that it would give the right to vote to overseas Kashmiris.“The journey of fulfilment of the promise will begin soon.

The bill will also be introduced in the Legislative Assembly of Azad Jammu and Kashmir after the decision of the Parliament”, he said.