MIRPUR (AJK), May 17: A comprehensive strategy has been chalked out to encourage foreign investments by the overseas Pakistanis and especially the Kashmiri expatriates based in United Kingdom to ensure speedy industrial progress of Azad Kashmir.

This was disclosed by AJK Minister for Commerce and Industries, Chaudhry Masood Khalid who added that the government has allotted a suitable peace of land for the construction of the building of Azad Jammu Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Mirpur to provide one-window operational facilities to the existing and intending entrepreneurs including the Kashmiri expatriates seeking to make investments in the trade and industrial sector in Azad Kashmir.

He was addressing at the convention-cum-oath-taking ceremony of Mirpur district AJK Non-Gazetted Employees Organization here on Friday. The convention was largely attended by the non-gazetted employees of various public sector departments.

AJK Minister for Revenue Chaudhry Tarooq Farooq, the chief guest of the ceremony, former finance minister of AJK Mohammad Sarfraz Khan, District President AJK Non-Gazetted Employees Organization Chaudhry Gulzar Ali, trade union leader K. D. Chaudhry, Central President NGEO AJK Bashir Ahmed Dar, Central Secretary-General of the Organization Sardar Shabir Abbasi and President of All Pakistan Clerks Association Mirpur Chapter Liaqat Ali Qureshi also addressed the convention.

The industries minister continued that private sector was being encouraged to bring about industrial revolution in Azad Kashmir. He said that the AJK government had already offered an attractive package of incentives for the intending investors in the industrial sector in Azad Kashmir.

He said the government had allotted a piece of land for the construction of grand offices complex building of the AJK Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the facility of the business fraternity.

He said it would be a gigantic national project to provide update information to the existing and upcoming private sector entrepreneurs. He said the government allotted the required piece of land meeting the long-standing demand of the AJKCCI and members of the Chamber under the same policy as was implemented while allotting the suitable piece of land for the construction of District Bar Associations, Press Clubs and other similar public representative forums in Mirpur and other parts of Azad Kashmir.

Masood Khalid pointed out that the matter of allotment of piece of land for the AJKCCI office complex was earlier approved in 1991 by the then AJK government and it was supported by the outgoing regime as well.

He said that the present Muslim Conference government in its cabinet committee meeting, formally gave final approval of the allotment of the land for the AJKCCI’s offices complex project would benefit the whole business community of Azad Kashmir.

Referring to other ongoing development projects of public welfare in Mirpur, the minister said that 70 per cent work of the ongoing Sui gas supply lines project in Mirpur and surrounding areas would be completed within the next couple of weeks.

He said a new grid station was being installed on 40 kanal land at the new industrial estate in Mirpur. He said with the installation of the new grid station the pressure of consumption of power through the existing grid station would reduce to considerable extent ensuring the smooth power supply in the stipulated area.

The minister advised the public sector institutions to restore the confidence of the people.—APP