President Alvi’s categorical stand sent positive message to IOJK: Masood

ISLAMABAD, Apr 21 (APP):Azad Jammu and Kashmir President Sardar Masood Khan Tuesday expressed gratitude to President Dr Arif Alvi for categorically reiterating support to the people of Indian Occupied Jammu Kashmir struggling for their freedom and the realization of the right to self-determination during his visit to AJK.
“Statement made by the President of Pakistan during his visit to Muzaffarabad has sent a very positive message to the other side of the Line of Control, and it will boost the morale of the Kashmiri people now resisting the Indian repression”, the AJK president said this after meeting with President Alvi at Aiwan Sadr, said a statement.
The AJK president said with the collaboration of various federal institutions including NDMA, National Institute of Health, Ehsaas Emergency cash program and from its own resources, the state government had taken effective measures to prevent the spread of infectious virus and the initiatives had shown highly positive results.
He thanked President Alvi for his efforts to muster the support of Ulema and Mushaikh from all over the country, create harmony among religious forces and schools of thought, and spread awareness countrywide to prevent the pandemic.
The AJK president told the Pakistani president that under Ehsaas program, the state government was providing three billion rupees to 248,000 families, while the state government from its own resources, had established a COVID-19 hospital, laboratories and quarantine centres, besides providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to doctors, nurses and paramedical staff.
The government, he said had successfully contained the virus through strict implementation of the lockdown. As a result, 16 of a total of 49 coronavirus patients have recovered now.
He said rapid response teams had done unprecedented work at grass-root level in all the districts. Besides, the government has established a coronavirus information technology centre to collect the data of more than 26,000 people, and the centre has successfully accomplished more than 80 per cent assigned task.
Sardar Masood Khan said the AJK president and the prime minister had personally held consultation and sought cooperation from ulema of various schools of thought, while the people had also fully cooperated with the government and the administration in making the precautionary measures a success.
He said the emergency bailout package being received from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund should benefit the people of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan also.
On this occasion, the AJK president briefed Dr Arif Alvi in detail about the latest situation of occupied Kashmir. He said that implementation of new domicile policy amidst the outbreak of coronavirus was a conspiracy of the Indian government to deprive the Kashmiri people of their fundamental rights.
Similarly, he maintained that the unprovoked India artillery and mortar gun shelling on the civilian population of Azad Kashmir along the LoC was designed to disrupt efforts against coronavirus.