Altaf Hamid Rao.
MIRPUR ( AJK): December 4: Azad Jammu Kashmir Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq has said that protecting lives and properties of citizens was the government’s foremost responsibility.
The PM Haq said this while addressing a reception ceremony in the state metropolis on Wednesday.
Speaking on the occasion, he said, development and progress in the state was inescapably linked to peace and stability in the liberated territory.”There is a dire need to reject this protest politics that not only undermine economy and development but also affect the citizens’ lives and their livelihoods”, he said, adding that the politics of adventurism and confrontation has to be stopped for the greater good of the people.
The PM said that protests and sit-ins were not only detrimental to law and order but they also adversely affect the livelihood of the common masses.”Peaceful protest is the right of every citizen, however, the people of Muzaffarabad must rethink and decide whether they should become a part of the indefinite protest or adopt a judicious course that leads to progress and prosperity “, the AJK premier.The PM said that the government has no plans to withdraw subsidies on flour and electricity.
“People should stop listening to rumours mongers”, he remarked.”Merit has been given priority, all possible measures have been taken to solve the problems being faced by the people”, the PM said.Referring to his struggle to seek subsidy on electricity and wheat flour from the federal government, the PM said, “I presented my stand for cheap electricity and cheap flour in the Senate of Pakistan, which has benefited the people of the state”.”Despite that, negative propaganda is being made that the government will withdraw subsidies”, the PM maintained.
“Those who are hell bent on holding protest for an indefinite period of time should be asked the root causes of their protest”, he said, adding that if presidential ordinance was the issue, then this protest call should have been withdrawn after it was suspended by the AJK supreme court.
The PM said that the Bar Council had been invited to provide guidance regarding the ordinance. “The consultation process aimed at seeking opinion from different sections of the society regarding the ordinance is still going on”, he said.
“We must create facilities for each other instead of spreading chaos and anarchy by blocking roads and closing down shops and markets”, the PM said, adding it was the responsibility of the government to open shops and defend those who reject this policy of confrontation.
On this occasion, the Most Senior Minister Colonel (retd) Waqar Ahmed Noor, government ministers Mian Abdul Waheed, Pir Muhammad Mazhar Saeed Shah, Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, Abdul Majid Khan and Nisar Ansar Abdali were also present.
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