Marriyum Aurangzeb terms Kashmir Pakistan’s Jugular Vein, Affirms AJK’s bond with Pakistan

RAWALPINDI, Jul 17 (APP): Senior Punjab Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Friday said that Kashmir is Pakistan’s jugular vein and a land of martyrs and warriors, adding that the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) have always demonstrated an unbreakable bond with Pakistan.

She was addressing a ceremony held on the occasion of the inauguration of the election office of Ahmad Raza Qadri, PML-N candidate for the Refugee seat of the AJK Legislative Assembly.

The ceremony was attended by Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting Barrister Danyal Chaudhry, MNA Tahira Aurangzeb, former Rawalpindi Mayor Sardar Naseem Khan, MPA Raja Muhammad Hanif, Ziaullah Shah, Malik Iftikhar, Zaib-un-Nisa Awan, Rahat Masood Qadoosi, Haji Pervez Khan, along with a large number of PML-N leaders, workers and citizens.

Marriyum Aurangzeb said the development of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir is interlinked, and that PML-N, in every term of its government, prioritized development projects, public welfare and economic stability in Azad Kashmir.

She said PML-N party leader Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’s relationship with the Kashmiri people goes beyond politics and is rooted in trust, affection and service, a claim she said is borne out by numerous completed development projects in the region.

She said that several infrastructure and public welfare projects in Azad Kashmir stand as a legacy of Nawaz Sharif’s tenures, adding that PML-N believes not merely in promises but in practical performance, the results of which are visible in both Pakistan and Azad Kashmir.

The senior minister said Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif had steered the country toward stability despite difficult economic conditions.

She added that under the leadership of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the province is witnessing rapid implementation of projects in health, education, infrastructure, clean drinking water, rural development, Safe City initiatives, the Honhaar Scholarship programme and other public welfare schemes.

She said the PML-N wants the people of Azad Kashmir to enjoy the same development opportunities as Punjab, adding that the party would prioritize investment in healthcare, education, infrastructure, tourism and youth empowerment in the region.

Marriyum Aurangzeb reiterated that the progress of Azad Kashmir is tied to the progress of Pakistan and the two cannot be separated.

She said PML-N has always taken practical steps for the rights, development and prosperity of the people of Azad Kashmir, including constitutional reforms and multiple development initiatives.

She said that in the upcoming AJK Legislative Assembly elections, PML-N is contesting on an agenda of public service, development and economic stability, with comprehensive planning underway to promote a Punjab-style development model in Azad Kashmir as well.

She urged party workers to maintain strong contact with the public during the election campaign and take the party’s development agenda door to door.

She expressed confidence that on July 27, the people of Azad Kashmir would ensure the success of PML-N candidate Ahmad Raza Qadri and further advance the journey of development, stability and public service.

Speaking on the occasion, Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting Barrister Danyal Chaudhry said Rawalpindi is a PML-N stronghold and vowed that all three seats from the city would be won and presented as a gift to party leader Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.