ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Asif Kirmani on Thursday said the failure of Pakistan Peoples' Party's government to deliver to masses in Azad Kashmir during their five years tenure, made way for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz to win the support of people.
"People were fed up of their incompetence and corruption. They were deprived of basic facilities during last five years, so they vented their ire on Peoples Party in AJK election through their right to vote," he said in a PTV program.
Kirmani said the federal government had provided Rs 300 billion to the AJK government in five years and if this amount is divided on each district then every district should have Rs 30 billion for development. "But, during our visit to different areas during the election campaign, we witnessed that hardly Rs one million were spent on development in each district. Situation over there speaks volumes of their corruption and incompetence."
He said somebody must be held responsible for this sheer wastage of the public money and if the PML-N gets majority in AJK elections, it will definitely bring those to book who have usurped the hard earned money of the tax payers. "Accountability is imperative to ensure good governance. If people repose confidence on us, we shall recover the looted money."
He said he visited from Bhimber to Taobut and it was painful that roads were worn out, hospitals were without equipment and doctors and schools without roofs and people talked of rampant corruption of the PPP government in every town of city of Azad Kashmir.
Kirmani said the PML-N after coming into power shall change the fate of Kashmiri people as the Prime Minister has already chalked out a plan for their welfare and uplift especially in infrastructure, education, health and clean drinking water.
Comparing his party's campaign with other parties, he said, the PML-N campaign was purely based on a welfare agenda while others have been talking of the Pakistani politics although Kashmiri voter had nothing to do with it. "PPP did a disservice to Bilawal Bhutto by not telling him truth about the corruption of AJK government. When he was talking of Panama papers, people were laughing at him because people in AJK knew well about corruption of his party's government."
He also regretted the speeches of PTI Chief Imran Khan who has been all the time discussing situation in Pakistan instead of presenting a program for the welfare of Kashmiri people. "His speeches even sent an annoying message across the border to people of occupied Kashmir who desired unity among Pakistani leadership at least on the issue of Kashmir."
However, he said, campaign of some other parties encouraged the Kashmiri brethren on the other side by taking part in election with a democratic spirit. "Our endeavors were for a peaceful democratic process so our brothers in occupied Kashmir take pride in saying that there is true democracy in Azad Kashmir.
He said if this election or the elected AJK Assembly is not dove-tailed with the Kashmir cause then these elections lose utility. "Election is a democratic process but actual cause if the Kashmir cause. Any government in AJK must be welcoming and encouraging for the people across the border."
He appreciated the role of Army personnel and the civil administration for ensuring free, fair and transparent elections. "The credit of peaceful and transparent elections goes to them."
He said it was for the first time that PML-N had contested elections in AJK from its own platform and we ensured that no government resource is used on our campaign. "Even we all used our personal vehicles and filled fuel tanks from our own pockets. Not a single penny of the federal government was used in our election campaign."
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