AJK PM announces comprehensive tourism development plan for Leepa Valley, pays tribute to LoC residents

MIRPUR, Nov 8 (APP):Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Iftikhar Gilani on Sunday paid tribute to the people living along the Line of Control (LoC) in Leepa Valley for their courage and resilience in the face of Indian shelling, saying cross-border firing had failed to weaken their determination. Addressing a large public gathering in Leepa Valley, the prime minister stressed the need to promote a progressive, tolerant and peaceful society, saying lasting stability could not be achieved without discouraging elements promoting unrest for vested interests. He said violence could not be justified even in pursuit of legitimate demands and warned that disruptive activities were damaging the Kashmir freedom movement. He also paid tribute to the Pakistan Army for its sacrifices in safeguarding the country's territorial integrity, particularly to troops deployed along the LoC. He described AJK as a region with a longstanding tradition of peaceful coexistence, mutual respect and tolerance. Announcing a comprehensive tourism development plan for Leepa Valley, Gilani invited local residents to submit viable proposals for development projects and pledged measures to create employment opportunities for unemployed youth. He said the government was taking steps to improve basic infrastructure, particularly the road network, while children from the valley would be facilitated in securing higher education at leading public and private universities across the country. He also announced the phased upgradation of all basic health units (BHUs) and rural health centres (RHCs) in Leepa, besides recruitment against government vacancies through a third-party mechanism within the next three months. The prime minister said the AJK government's constitutional responsibilities included developing the liberated territory, projecting the Kashmir issue in its historical perspective and mobilising international support for the Kashmiri people's right to self-determination. Earlier, he received a warm welcome upon arrival in Leepa Valley, where PML-N workers raised slogans in his support. 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 Gillani, Saif-ur-Rehman, Malik Shaukat, Salman Awan and other speakers also addressed the gathering.