MUZAFFARABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited on Thursday Haveli district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir to “share the pain and grief of the people” affected by recent torrential rains and flash floods.

“People of Kashmir are dear to me, just like that of Pakistan. I love Kashmir as much as I love Pakistan and I have great interest in progress and prosperity of Azad Kashmir,” he said while speaking to a big crowd in Forward Kahuta, the headquarters of the district.

He said that AJK was a picturesque region and it deserved to be developed in an exemplary manner. “There is a lot of potential for such development and the Azad Kashmir government should work ambitiously for it.”

Noting that the district lacked a modern healthcare facility, Mr Sharif asked AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed to build a hospital to provide latest healthcare facilities to the people.

PM also underlined the need for tapping into AJK’s rich potential for tourism

The federal government, he said, would provide funds for the facility.

He announced plans for construction of a highway connecting Haveli with Rawalakot.

He agreed to a proposal by AJK President Sardar Yaqoob Khan about establishment of a university campus in Haveli and said sufficient funds would be provided for the purpose.

He stopped short of making a categorical commitment about extension of mobile phone service to the district, and said: “All possible efforts will be made for provision of this service.”

Haveli and Neelum are the two AJK districts where multinational mobile phone companies have not been allowed to launch their operations due to security concerns.

Mr Sharif also underlined the need for tapping into AJK’s rich potential for tourism, and said development of the industry would not only attract domestic tourists but also foreign travellers in big numbers. He said the feasibility report for the Islamabad-Muzaffarabad train link had almost been completed.

“We will steadfastly continue our efforts to make AJK a prosperous and ideal region and ameliorate living standards of its people.”

He asked the chief secretary, who had given a briefing on the losses caused by flash floods, to prepare correct estimates so that affected people could be helped properly. “Those who have suffered losses will be fully assisted,” he said.

The prime minister distributed cheques worth Rs1 million each among the heirs of those who had lost their lives in rain-related incidents.

Earlier, the AJK premier thanked Mr Sharif for paying a second visit to Azad Kashmir in less than 72 hours and pointed out that he was the second prime minister of Pakistan after Z. A. Bhutto to have visited Haveli.

“The whole of Punjab is inundated, but the prime minister of Pakistan has not forgotten us in our hour of trial,” Mr Abdul Majeed said.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2014