rki.news
Altaf Hamid Rao
MIRPUR (AJK) April 1 – Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to provide all modern infrastructural facilities to support existing and emerging entrepreneurs, aiming to accelerate industrial development across the region and attract both local and foreign investment.
Chairing a high-level meeting in Mirpur on Tuesday, Prime Minister Rathore was joined by Advisor to the Prime Minister for Industry Sardar Fahad Yaqoob, Secretary Industry Adnan Khurshid, and President of the Mirpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry Umar Shahzad Jaral. The meeting focused on industrial development, investment promotion, and business facilitation, with an emphasis on creating an entrepreneur-friendly environment across AJK.
Key decisions included granting formal industry status to three new sectors: poultry and hatchery, information technology, and dairy processing industries. This initiative is expected to generate new investment opportunities and significantly increase employment in AJK, particularly for youth and women entrepreneurs.
In response to long-standing business demands, the government also removed five industries from the negative list, including steel, foam, oil and ghee, flour, and stone crushing industries. Officials said this step will accelerate industrial activity and stabilize the local economy, while boosting investor confidence.
Administrative reforms were introduced to enhance ease of doing business, with trade change and plan transfer powers delegated to the Director of Commerce and Industry, promoting transparency and efficient business transactions.
Infrastructure development was another priority. The meeting approved a dedicated double-lane road from Lahri to the New Industrial Zone in Mirpur, as well as the construction and improvement of other key roads. Land for a new economic zone in Mirpur was also sanctioned, expected to become a milestone in AJK’s industrial growth and long-term economic transformation.
The business community expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister and Advisor Sardar Fahad Yaqoob for implementing the historic decisions, noting that lifting industry bans and promoting reforms will further economic prosperity. “The business community of AJK is determined to work with the government to take Azad Jammu Kashmir to new heights of industrial and economic development,” said Umar Shahzad Jaral.
The meeting concluded with broad optimism, as stakeholders praised the government’s vision and commitment toward fostering sustainable industrial growth, enhanced employment, and investor confidence throughout the region.