PM Nawaz looks Opp in the eye after AJK poll victory

• Prime minister promises a ‘revolution of development’ in AJK
• Says PTI will launch a movement, but only the size of what they got in AJK Legislative Assembly elections
• Says Pakistanis are always with their brethren of IOK, awaiting the day when Kashmir will become Pakistan

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday vowed to bring about a revolution of development in Azad Jammu and Kashmir where his party the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz is set to form a government after its landslide victory in the AJK Legislative Assembly general elections.

In his first public address at the University Ground following his return from London after an open-heart surgery in May, the premier thanked the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir over his party’s victory in 32 constituencies out of the 41-seat Legislative Assembly through direct elections, by rejecting what he termed as the “culture of negative politics”.

NEW ERA OF PROGRESS TO HERALD IN AJK:

The prime minister, amid the slogans of “dekho dekho kon aya, sher aya sher aya” and “Mian de naaray wajjan ge”, said that by giving the PML-N two-thirds majority, the AJK people had pleased him and he could not stop visiting them the very next day of the election. He said the development being witnessed in Pakistan would now change the fate of AJK as a new era of progress was about to herald in the valley.

Sharif assured the charged gathering that the next five years would be exemplary for the development of AJK, adding that the PML-N would develop a network of motorways and highways in the valley besides spending huge amounts on education and health sectors.

PM SHARIF TAKES DIG AT OPPOSITION:

Referring to the defeat of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Barrister Sultan by his party candidate Chaudhry Saeed, Sharif said the AJK people had defeated mainstream leaders of the opposition.

He also laughed off the much-hyped mass movement announced by the PTI against his government, saying one could guess what would be the scale of that movement. “They (PTI) will launch a movement but only the size of what they got in the AJK general elections – just two seats,” Sharif said, grinning from ear to ear.

The prime minister said that the opposition parties had heavily criticised him during the election campaign, but he did not respond to anyone. “Performance, not sit-ins, brings about success in politics,” he added.

PM CONGRATULATES PML-N LEADERS, WORKERS:

PM Sharif appreciated his team for successful electioneering in AJK, including Pervaiz Rashid, Asif Kirmani, Barjees Tahir, Raja Farooq Haider and local party leaders. He also thanked the activists of Muslim Students Federation, the youth wing of his party for their dedicated efforts in helping the party win a thumping victory in the elections.

He assured the newly-elected MLAs that all of their commitments they had made with their electorates would be fulfilled, adding that he never discriminated between Pakistan and AJK. He also recalled that the PML-N had recently obtained two-thirds majority in the elections of the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly as well.

Sharif said the AJK people had been faced with massive corruption and malfunctioning in the past and the results of this election was reaction to those malpractices. “It will not happen again. Every penny will be accounted for. I myself will oversee (the spending),” he averred.

THE DAY WHEN KASHMIR WILL BECOME PAKISTAN:

Remembering the oppressed people of Indian-held Kashmir, PM Sharif said that “at this moment of celebration, we should not forget the oppressed people of occupied Kashmir who had been sacrificing their lives for their freedom”.

He said the people of Pakistan were with their brethren of occupied Kashmir and would never give up their support. “No one can deter their movement. This will meet success. They are being killed. We are awaiting their prayers to be fulfilled and the day when Kashmir will become Pakistan,” added the premier.

Sharif concluded his speech by raising the slogan “Freedom movement of occupied Kashmir” that was responded to by the people, saying “long live”.

In his address, President of PML-N’s AJK Chapter Raja Farooq Haider thanked the AJK people and hoped that the AJK would achieve progress under the leadership of Prime Minister Sharif.

Noreen Arif, a female MLA-elect, said the Nawaz Sharif’s government had introduced several projects for uplift of the youth and requested him to launch such projects in AJK as well.

Later, the prime minister mixed up with the crowd who shook his hands. They also chanted slogans in his support and the prime minister waved to respond their sentiments.

Earlier upon his arrival, the prime minister, who was accompanied by Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid, Minister for Kashmir Affairs Barjees Tahir and Special Assistant to PM Asif Kirmani, was received by PML-N leader Raja Farooq Haider along with other party leaders in the AJK capital.