ISLAMABAD, Jul 11 (APP): Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq Tuesday said the legal fraternity must come forward in a big way and play its much-needed role in highlighting the Kashmir issue.
He said this while talking to a representative delegation of lawyers led by President Supreme Court Bar Mohammad Zubair Raja Advocate and President High Court Bar Association Sardar Hamid Raza Advocate and Mirpur Bar delegation that called on him at Jammu Kashmir House in the federal metropolis.
Speaking on the occasion, the PM, while referring to the world community’s indifference towards the Kashmir issue, said that the international organization has failed to resolve this long pending dispute that has been pending on the agenda of the United Nations for the last several decades.
The prime minister said that his government was determined to play its role in highlighting the issue of Kashmir both at the national and international levels. About the dire human rights situation in the region, he said that the Indian occupation forces have turned Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) into a killing field where innocent civilians were being killed in fake encounters day in and day out.
He said that the Indian army deployed in length and breadth of IIOJK has been committing serious violations of human rights.
He said that international organizations, particularly the United Nations, should take notice of serious violations of human rights in IIOJK and play an important role in granting Kashmiris their right of self-determination guaranteed to them under the UNSC resolutions.
Stressing the need for the establishment of the rule of law in the state, the PM said that no society can flourish without implementing the rule of law.
Reiterating his commitment to serving the masses, the prime minister said that he wouldn’t spare a moment in serving his people so long as he was in power. “Without a strong system of check and balance, the government cannot move forward”, he said.
Terming lawyers as the most important part of society, he said the lawyer’s community must present its valuable input and suggestions to help the government to establish good governance in the state.
The Prime Minister said that education, health and tourism were given top priority in the budget.
“Special focus has been placed on a number of sectors, including livestock and information technology”, the PM said, adding that the production sector has also been given high priority, keeping in view the largest interest of the people of the state.
He said that every citizen of the state was equal and nobody, whosoever was above the law. “The Prime Minister is also accountable to the people”, he said, adding that every citizen of the state has to follow the constitution and respect the law of the land.
He said that arbitrary interpretation of the law has corrupted the entire system. The lawyers should lend their support to help the government to ensure full implementation of the rule of law and improve governance in the region, he added.
The Mirpur Bar delegation, on the occasion, extended an invitation to the prime minister requesting him to address the bar association, which he accepted.