MUZAFFARABAD, April 8: A protest rally has been organised for Wednesday against the “inordinate delay” in execution of reconstruction related activities in the earthquake affected capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking at a news conference here on Tuesday, organisers claimed that the rally would prove a referendum against the AJK government which “had been indifferent to the hilt towards the rehabilitation and reconstruction of quake-affected areas.”

Ever since its inception, the present government has been making one after the other “hollow announcement,” but practically so far it has failed to initiate and execute even a single project of public utility on the ground, said Shaukat Javed Mir, Asif Mustafai and others, under the banner of “Muzaffarabad Awami Mahaz”.

They demanded that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani should constitute a high-powered commission at the federal level to investigate and unearth the irregularities and corruption in the name of reconstruction which was nowhere in sight even after the passage of two and a half years after the devastating earthquake.

The new government should probe that where the money that had poured in for the welfare of quake survivors had gone and why the survivors were still restricted to live in miserable conditions, they said. The federal government should also take stock of the “useless foreign tours” of the AJK government functionaries in the name of Kashmir at a time when they were required to dedicate their time and attention to the most important task of reconstruction, they added.

Opinion

Editorial

Parliament’s place
Updated 17 Sep, 2024

Parliament’s place

Efforts to restore parliament’s sanctity must rise above all political differences and legislative activities must be open to scrutiny and debate.
Afghan policy flux
17 Sep, 2024

Afghan policy flux

AS the nation confronts a major militancy problem in the midst of poor ties with Kabul, there is a dire need to...
HIV/AIDS outbreak
17 Sep, 2024

HIV/AIDS outbreak

MULTIPLE factors — the government’s inability to put its people first, a rickety health infrastructure, and...
Political drama
Updated 16 Sep, 2024

Political drama

Govt must revisit its plans to bring constitutional amendments and ensure any proposed changes to judiciary are subjected to thorough debate.
Complete impunity
16 Sep, 2024

Complete impunity

ZERO per cent. That is the conviction rate in crimes against women and children in Sindh, according to data shared...
Melting glaciers
16 Sep, 2024

Melting glaciers

ACCELERATED glacial melt in the Indus river basin, as highlighted recently by the National Disaster Management...