Govt committed to root out corruption from its roots in AJK: Masood

MIRPUR (AJK), April 5 (APP)::President Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Sardar Masood Khan Thursday said that corruption and misgovernance were scourges which affected progress of economic and social development.
“Every effort in this regard will be made to eliminate these evils from their roots”,
the AJK President made these remarks during a call on meeting by Chairman Azad Jammu
and Kashmir Ehtesab Bureau Raja Muhammad Aslam, wherein he also presented the President with the bureau’s Annual Report, 2017.
President AJK said that developing economies must be very watchful over the abuse of
power, financial mismanagement and maladministration.
He urged that relevant institutions must establish a culture of accountability and transparency.
Civil servants and elected representatives, he said, were all accountable to the
people and the electorate.
President Masood said that the Azad Jammu and Kashmir government had established a
three-point agenda which would focus on accelerating the freedom struggle in IOK;
practicing good governance through accountability, transparency, and upholding
merit and finally, prioritizing economic and social development throughout AJK.
The Chairman said that in 2017 stringent efforts had been underwaty to making the Ehtesab
Bureau more stable and effective in achieving its goals.
Despite numerous challenges including delays, finances and human resources, the Ehtesab Bureau
had displayed better performance at all its divisional offices.
AJK’s government, the President said, had made impressive strides in strengthening
governance in all spheres, especially through merit-based appointments,
finalization and execution of economic projects through transparent and
rigorous professional processes.
He further said that with growing economic activity and implementation of the
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, infrastructure uplift and hydropower projects
the need for vigilance, monitoring, evaluation and accountability has become
ever more important.