ISLAMABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan on Thursday said that the Mansehra-Muzaffarabad-Mangla Expressway being constructed under CPEC would bring an economic revolution in the state.
Talking to Radio Pakistan, he said that the expressway would have four lanes and interchanges at Kohala, Rarra and Lohar Galli near Muzaffarabad. He added that the project would be completed with an estimated cost of Rs400 million.
The AJK prime minister said that the new road would prove to be a milestone in the promotion of tourism, trade and economic activities in the state, adding that about Rs24 billion had been spent from the development budget on welfare projects, with a special focus on the communication sector to boost tourism and provide better travelling facilities to people.
He said that the government of Pakistan has provided about Rs2 billion for construction of community bunkers at the Line of Control (LoC) adding that the Pakistani government had also provided compensations to the victims of Indian firing across the LoC.
He said further that AJK and federal governments would soon ink an agreement regarding the Neelum-Jehlum Hydropower Project.
Replying to a question, he said that lady health workers in the state had been regularised while problems pertaining to police and other low paid employees would soon be addressed. Scholarships are being awarded to students from the one and a half billion rupees provided by Punjab government for the purpose while interest-free loans are being extended to unemployed youth, he added.