Ishaq Dar directs new GB and AJK governments to speed up projects
The deputy prime minister chaired a review meeting in Islamabad with the Kashmir Affairs ministry and asked officials to coordinate closely with both regional governments.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar chaired a meeting in Islamabad on Thursday to review Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan affairs with the federal government, and told the newly formed regional governments to take fresh, result-oriented initiatives to resolve governance problems and improve public service delivery.
A news release from the Deputy Prime Minister's Office said Dar directed all concerned to ensure close coordination with the respective governments so that ongoing development projects are expedited.
The aim, according to the release, was to deliver tangible socio-economic relief to the people of the two regions.
The meeting covered administrative and governance issues in both. Participants examined institutional mechanisms for streamlining federal-regional coordination, took up pending legislative and financial matters, and looked at ways to accelerate development projects in roads, infrastructure, healthcare and regional connectivity.
Dar described AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan as historically significant and referred to the enduring sacrifices of their people, the release said.
The Minister for Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan and SAFRON attended, along with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Bajwa, the secretary of the Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan and SAFRON ministry, and senior officials of other concerned ministries. The release did not name the minister.
The ministry handles the federal government's dealings with both regions.
The release gave no figures for the projects discussed, did not say what had been decided on the pending legislation and financial matters, and set no date for the coordination mechanism to report progress. It also did not say when the new AJK and GB governments took office.
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