Islamabad: President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry has said that it is his desire to strengthen and empower the local government institutions so that the transfer of powers to the grassroots level can take place in real terms and public issues can be resolved.
This he said during a meeting with a delegation of elected Chairpersons of some 10 District Councils of Azad Kashmir at Kashmir House here.
He said that the holding of local government elections in Azad Kashmir after 31 years is a significant milestone. When he took the oath of the President’s office, he promised the people that local government elections would be held in Azad Kashmir and he has fulfilled his pledge by establishing the local government institutions that will help in addressing the issues of people and improve their quality of life.
President AJK said that he not only will play his role in provision of funds to local government institutions but also ask the government to enhance it.
Barrister Sultan said that after the establishment of local government institutions, the process of transferring powers to the grassroots level has already begun in Azad Kashmir, and it is now the responsibility of the elected representatives of the local bodies to solve the people’s problems.
He advised that being elected representative of the people they should work tirelessly and with dedication to resolve public issues and make public service their motto, and contribute to making Azad Kashmir a model state.
The meeting was attended by the Chairman District Council Mirpur Raja Navid Akhtar Goga, Chairman District Council Muzaffarabad Sardar Imtiaz Ahmed Abbasi, Chairman District Council Kotli Chaudhry Abdul Ghaffar Javed, Chairman District Council Poonch Sardar Javed Sharif, Chairman District Council Sudhanoti Sardar Amjad Javed, Chairman District Council Bhimber Dr. Yousaf Chaudhry, Chairman District Council Bagh Sardar Asif, Chairman District Council Haveli Javed Iqbal Dar, Chairman District Council Jhelum Valley Tayyab Manzoor Kiyani, and Chairman District Council Neelum Ghulam Mujtaba Mughal.