MIRPUR, July 3: The recent agreement reached between the federal and Azad Jammu and Kashmir governments on the Rs64 billion Mangla Dam raising project has been welcomed by the AJK people in general and the likely victims of the project in particular, former AJK minister Raja Maqsood Ahmed Khan said here on Thursday.

Talking to APP, he described the package as unprecedented. He said not only the victims would benefit from the package, but also those sitting on the periphery of the dam as their occupational rights had been recognized.

The former minister said people of Azad Kashmir always gave sacrifices for the sake of the stability and prosperity of Pakistan and would demonstrate the same spirit in future as well.

He said the people of Kashmir wanted to see Pakistan as a strong fort of Islam, adding that a stable and prosperous Pakistan would help the Kashmiris in achieving freedom.

The former minister said that the project would bring about a ‘green revolution’ in Pakistan and stabilize the AJK economy.

Opinion

Editorial

Sustainable path?
13 Jun, 2026

Sustainable path?

THE FY27 budget is the first clear signal that the government is ready to transition from stabilisation to growth ...
Prioritising education
13 Jun, 2026

Prioritising education

THOUGH the improvement in the country’s literacy rate may be slight, as highlighted by the Economic Survey, it ...
Poverty’s rise
13 Jun, 2026

Poverty’s rise

AS attention turns to the government’s plans for the coming fiscal year, one set of figures deserves particular...
A difficult story
Updated 12 Jun, 2026

A difficult story

Unless productivity becomes the dominant target of economic policy, Pakistan will continue to oscillate between crises and fragile recovery.
Rough waters
12 Jun, 2026

Rough waters

AMONGST the key potential triggers for fresh conflict in South Asia is water. The Indian state is behaving in an...
Politicised football
12 Jun, 2026

Politicised football

ALMOST three-and-half years since Lionel Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory, the latest edition of...