Entire Kashmir to be opened for tourists, says PM

RAWALAKOT—Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Monday said the entire Azad Kashmir will be opened for tourism to exploit area’s full potential and help generate economic opportunities for its people.
Speaking to a large gathering here during his visit to shelter houses, the Prime Minister said that there will be no restriction on any tourist to visit this scenic valley. “This area has a vast potential for tourism and we will provide all facilities to attract tourists here,” he said and added that it will create more economic opportunities for the area and its people.
Prime Minister Aziz visited an area near Dhamni village in Rawalakot, hit by the October 8 earthquake and was pleased to see people building their houses on self-help basis. AJK Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Ijaz ul Haq, Chairman Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA), Lt. General Zubair Khan and Federal Relief Commissioner Major Gen. Farooq Ahmed Khan also accompanied the Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Aziz said that the government has announced Rs. 1,75,000 to help people construct their houses and the first installment of Rs. 25,000 has already been disbursed among many affectees. “I am very delighted that people are working here on self- help basis,” he said. Prime Minister Aziz also gave cash prizes to Muhammad Latif and Muhammad Ashraf who build their houses inside seven days with the financial assistance from the government. He lauded the entire nation for coming up to the challenge posed by the October 8 earthquake and said the government used all its resources to provide immediate help to the quake-hit people.
The Prime Minister said the government will guide and give financial support to people build earth-quake resistant houses. Referring to the November 19 donors’ conference, he said the international community pledged over 6 billion dollars in grants and loans to help the government in its reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts. “This shows the confidence of the international community in Pakistan and its leadership and respect it enjoys in the comity of nations,” he said while adding, the world’s response to the tragedy was als the success of the country’s foreign policy.
Prime Minister Aziz assured complete transparency in the use of funds, saying each and every penny would be accounted for. Prime Minister Aziz said the hospital in Rawalakot that was destroyed by the quake was being reconstruction.
He was pleased to note that brotherly Islamic country of Jordan was setting up the 180-bed hospital in the district. Similarly, the government would re-construct all schools and colleges to ensure that education for the children of the quake-strick areas was not disturbed by the quake, he added.—APP