MUZAFFARABAD: Prime Minister of Azad Jammu & Kashmir Faisal Mumtaz Rathore participated in a ceremony marking the 17th anniversary of Dunya News. The Prime Minister, along with Dunya News Bureau Chief Aslam Mir, reporter Iqbal Mir, Minister Mian Abdul Waheed, Minister Javed Budhanvi, social leader Mir Irshad, and senior journalists, jointly cut the anniversary cake.
Speaking exclusively to Dunya News, PM Rathore said that the channel had always considered the development of AJK, the advancement of tourism and culture, and the representation of the Kashmir freedom movement as part of its professional responsibility. He appreciated the journalistic role of Dunya News, stating that the channel consistently promoted responsible and ethical journalism.
He added that the services of Dunya News in strengthening journalistic values would always be remembered, and reaffirmed that the AJK government would take every possible step to support the media sector and promote journalistic standards. The Prime Minister congratulated the Dunya News team for maintaining a tradition of constructive, factual, and professional journalism.
Discussing governance challenges, PM Rathore said that despite limited resources and multiple issues, the government was taking serious measures to address public concerns. He noted that although the previous coalition government failed to gain widespread public support, the current administration was committed to resolving issues and that “matters are now moving in the right direction.”
He emphasized the need for improvement in crucial sectors such as health and tourism, stating that strengthening these sectors could help reduce unemployment. He added that even major challenges could be overcome with public cooperation, despite the imbalance between resources and problems.
The ceremony was attended by a large number of political leaders, senior journalists, and notable personalities, including:
Senior Minister Mian Abdul Waheed, Minister Javed Iqbal Budhanvi, PPP leader Shaukat Javed Mir, Mubashir Ijaz, President Press Club Muzaffarabad Sajjad Mir, Mir Irshad Ahmad, Raja Fateh Mehmood Al-Hassan (Chairman PML-N Youth Wing AJK), Syed Ghazanfar Ali (Secretary General PML-N Youth Wing AJK), Mir Riaz Ahmed (Vice President PML-N Youth Wing AJK), Shahid Mahmood Wani, senior journalists Javed Hashmi, Syed Afaq Hussain, Aslam Mir, Zaheer Jhagwal, Sardar Zulfiqar, Tariq Naqash, officials from the Information Department Muhammad Bashir Mirza (Director) and Syed Asif Hussain Naqvi (AD Advertising), as well as journalists Arif Bahar, Shehzad Kolachi, Masood Abbasi, Farooq Mughal, Mirza Shehzad, Adeel Ahmed, Nasreen Sheikh, Sardar Adnan, Abdul Wajid Khan, Khawaja Usman Haidri, Haroon Muzaffar Qureshi, and Sardar Shameem Anjum Aziz, among many others.
The event concluded with renewed commitment to strengthening journalism and media professionalism in Azad Jammu & Kashmir.