MUZAFFARABD, Feb 5: President Gen Perevez Musharraf on Thursday inaugurated the first independent AJK TV channel and hoped it would play an important role in creating solidarity with the Kashmiri people and reflect their true aspirations.

He said the it was an old demand of the AJK government which had now been fullfiled.

The president said he was pleased to open this channel on the occassion of the Solidarity Day.

He hoped the independent channel would project the struggle of the Kashmiri people and their aspirations in an effective manner and would also help create awareness and promote harmony among Kashmiris. Besides, he said, the new channel would also promote and project the culture and art of the region.

On the occassion, the President reiterated Pakistan's desire for a just and peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute. He said the resolution of this long-standing dispute was a must for peace in South Asia.

The president hoped that the AJK Television would also play a major role in countering negative and false propaganda and would depict a real picture of ground realities.

He congratulated the AJK government, PTV Chairman Syed Anwar Mehmood, and PTV MD Syed Ahktar Waqar Azeem for their efforts and co-operation in setting up this channel.

Earlier, in his welcome address Information Secretary Syed Anwar Mehmood termed the opening of channel a significant development and said the feat had been achieved in a very short span of time.

He thanked the PTV for playing an important role in projecting the Kashmir cause in its true perspective.

The Secretary thanked the President for his keen interest to launch this channel which he had promised to the Kashmiri people on the Solidarity Day last year.

He said on directives of the President, the government had allocated and released Rs430 million for the project which consisted of a TV centre and seven boosters.

Syed Anwar Mehmood said that out of seven, four boosters had been installed and the remaining would be put in place in the next fiscal year.

He also thanked Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed who evinced keen interest in the completion of this national project.

On behalf of the Board of Governors of the PTV, he also thanked Prime Minister Jamali for providing funds for the project.

He hoped that the channel would also play an important role in promoting Kashmiri art, culture and heritage.-APP