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| July 25, 2002 | Thursday | Jamadi-ul-Awwal 14,1423 |
AJK govt accused of financial irregularities
MUZAFFARABAD, July 24: Opposition Peoples Party in Azad Kashmir (PPAJK) has dubbed the present Muslim Conference-led government as the “most unsuccessful and disappointing regime” in the history of the state, accusing it of committing grave financial irregularities, nepotism and criminal negligence from Kashmir liberation movement besides aggravating unemployment.
The strongly-worded criticism of the government came through a press briefing by PPAJK secretary information and former minister Khwaja Farooq Ahmed here on Wednesday on the completion of present government’s one year in office.
“Without touching how they (present government) were brought into office, I must keep it on record that they have fanned tribalism in the tolerant society of Azad Kashmir and are pushing their opponents to the wall,” the PPAJK leader said.
He said Azad Kashmir was the base camp of the freedom movement and hence the foremost responsibility of its government was to project the Kashmir cause at the international level.
“However, unfortunately, this basic role has been put aside rather forgotten mainly because the prime minister and his team lacks courage to face the foreign dignitaries and world media.”
Khwaja Farooq asserted that the Barrister Sultan Mahmood-led Peoples Party government had advanced the cause of Kashmir at all fronts in a systematic way and with national consensus. In this regard, he cited the visits of some high-profile foreign personalities and more than 30 ambassadors to Azad Kashmir on the invitation of the PP government.
On the contrary, he alleged, the present regime had so far completely in this regard.
The PPAJK leader claimed that the APHC and Muttahida Jihad Council were also unhappy with the present government.
On other issues, he said, the Muslim Conference government had been given liberal aid by Pakistan during one year, “but that amount had not been properly utilized.”
Similarly, he added, instead of containing the unemployment, the government had aggravated the problem by rendering already appointed people jobless due to their political affiliations.
Farooq also criticized the government’s decision to buy luxury vehicles for the ministers and recalled that the PP government had withdrawn vehicles from cabinet members.
He also accused the government of ignoring the development work in the constituencies from where Peoples Party had emerged victorious.
“The irony is that the people who were contractors have been made ministers of the same departments.”
The PPAJK leader also deplored “negative remarks” by the government functionaries against the press and said they resorted to such language only to hide their incompetence.
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