MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider said on Friday that Indian naked aggression could not demoralise the people along the Line of Control (LoC).

“Indian army is targeting civilian population on our side of the divide to scare them into quitting their homes in forward locations and taking shelter in rear areas. But we want to make it clear to the Indian government that it will fail in her nefarious designs,” he said at a public meeting in Choki village of Bhimber district.

Choki is located close to the LoC in Samahni subdivision where Pakistan Air Force had shot down two Indian jets on Feb 27 in a heroic action that lifted the morale of people across Pakistan and Kashmir.

“The [AJK] government is fully alive to the situation at the LoC and is employing all possible resources for rehabilitation of the people affected by viciousness and unprofessionalism of Indian army,” Mr Haider told the gathering.

He called upon the international community to take notice of Indian terrorism and war crimes against the civilian population residing along the LoC in AJK.

“People living along the LoC are first defence line of the country who have always fought the enemy aggression shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces. I salute you for your courage, bravery and indefatigability,” he said.

The prime minister also distributed cheques among ten residents of Horaa’n village who had chased and captured Indian pilot Abhinandan after he had parachuted in their village.

“I also pay tributes to the armed forces for destroying enemy’s self-conceit in this area on Feb 27,” he said, referring to the downing of Indian jets.

Later, the prime minister drove to Chamb sector in neighbouring Barnala tehsil, where he visited a camp of internally displaced persons and assured them of all possible assistance by the government.

He said a Rs 5 billion scheme envisaging provision of water, construction of roads and protection bunkers and meeting other basic needs of the areas in the proximity of LoC had been sent to the federal government for approval.

Urgently, the AJK government had released Rs10 million for each constituency along the LoC from its own resources, he said, adding, around 40 new or refurbished ambulances were also being made available in areas along LoC.

The premier declared that special funds would be earmarked for education, health and infrastructure development in areas along the LoC.

He said his own constituency also situated along the LoC and therefore he had full realisation of the problems and difficulties of the LoC residents.

“Rest assured we will never leave you unattended,” he said.

During the tour, the premier was accompanied by cabinet members Ahmed Raza Qadri, Chaudhry Rukhsar Ahmed, Dr Mustafa Bashir and Waqar Ahemd Noor.

However, senior minister Chaudhry Tariq Farooq, who also belongs to Bhimber, was conspicuous by his absence.

In a tweet, he said he was not informed by the prime minister’s office about his LoC visit.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2019