MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir cabinet on Wednesday welcomed Chinese investment in the territory and dismissed Indian propaganda against relations between Muzaffarabad and Islamabad.

“Every government in Pakistan has always extended generous support to the liberated territory of Jammu and Kashmir [AJK]…We reject Indian propaganda in this regard and once again make it clear that we stand by Pakistan,” said the cabinet, presided over by AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider.

The cabinet noted that a committee constituted by Prime Minister Imran Khan had agreed to the apprehensions of the AJK government with regard to Kohala Hydropower Project (KHP) and had prepared its recommendations for redress. These recommendations were endorsed by the Economic Coordination Council as well as the federal cabinet, following which construction of water bodies, sewerage treatment plants, provision of jobs to locals, measures for improvement of environment and welfare of local communities were also added to the agreement, it added.

Prime Minister Haider said: “The positive aspect of these agreements is that 30 years after commissioning, Kohala, Azad Pattan and other private sector hydropower projects will be transferred to the AJK government and will thus strengthen its fiscal health. Even during the construction process, the AJK government will collect billions of rupees in taxes every year.”

The secretary of the Power Development Organisation briefed the cabinet about Kohala, Azad Pattan and Patrind hydropower projects in the private sector. Preliminary work on KHP started in 2015 after the case was processed by the public-private investment board. A conditional environmental approval was issued for this project and land acquisition had started in 2017, he said.

“After several meetings with the AJK premier, PM Khan constituted a committee to look into concerns of the government and people in AJK and submit recommendations to address them. Additionally, an AJK ministerial committee led by senior minister Chaudhry Tariq Farooq also prepared recommendations for mitigation of environmental losses, which were approved by the AJK cabinet and added to the agreement on this mega hydropower project,” he added.

The cabinet acknowledged Prime Minister Haider’s efforts towards “effectively pleading AJK’s case and constantly engaging the council of ministers in the consultation process” and assured him of full cooperation from his team.

Furthermore, a comprehensive plan was approved, to cope with monsoon related issues in addition to deciding the opening of all government offices with strict adherence to relevant standard operating procedures (SOPs). An official informed the cabinet that since the Met office had forecast 20pc more rain in Kashmir, it was feared that 23,000 families in AJK would be affected by it. “Arrangements for temporary rehabilitation of these families will be made from resources, to be jointly pooled by National Disaster Management Authority and the AJK government,” he said.

The cabinet expressed satisfaction that control rooms had been working round the clock and a mechanism had been worked out for coordination with all departments for rehabilitation of affected families.

On containing the spread of Covid-19, the cabinet praised Health Minister Dr Najeeb Naqi, Disaster Management Minister Ahmed Raza Qadri and Information Technology Minister Dr Mustafa Bashir for their “remarkable performance during the lockdown.”

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2020