Mehbooba seeks IHK inclusion in CPEC: AJK president

Highlighting the economic potential of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the AJK President Sardar Masood Khan invited the FPCCI members to visit and invest in different sectors mainly in tourism, infrastructure and hydel power generation there.
AJK President was speaking at an interactive session on Monday to the members of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), at the Federation House where a number of business leaders representing various trade bodies of the country attended.
The FPCCI president Zubair Tufail accepted his offer and assured that FPCCI delegation including prominent businesspersons from Karachi would soon visit AJK and identify the areas of their interest for trade exploring the possibilities of setting up industries and investment in other potential projects.
President AJK welcomed the positive sentiments of the FPCCI leadership and the members and assured on behalf of AJK government of full cooperation and facilitation in making their trade and industrial projects a big success. "Kashmir is full with natural beauty and natural resources, and Karachi is rich in expertise," he said, adding that the business community of the country could make the best use of these resources. He said this would be win-win situation for them and the people of Kashmir.
He said that eight special economic zones were being developed in AJK under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) starting with one at Bhimber. He urged the business community of Pakistan not to miss the opportunity. He said that AJK was producing 1500MW Electricity while its actual need is only 400MW electricity that means 1100MW surplus electricity. More hydel power generation projects were in progress and with their completion, it would generate 8700MW.
He said the roads network is being developed in AJK with existing roads being upgraded and new ones being constructed. Under CPEC, 235 kilometres international standard highway from Mansehra to Muzaffarabad to Gilgit-Baltistan was being constructed. He said that a tunnel was also being constructed to link Skardu and Muzaffarabad and the two airports were being upgraded and one more would be set up. "This wide network of roads will help boost the vast un-tapped tourism sites in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and promote other economic activities there," he said.
Masood Khan expressed his satisfaction over the performance of AJK government that is led by Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider. "AJK government had set three point agenda: giving impetus to the on-going struggle of Kashmir, ensuring good governance and building a strong infrastructure network," he said, adding that the CPEC will be the game changer for Pakistan and other countries of this region and would connect South Asia with Central, East Asia, Russia and Africa.
AJK President disclosed that Indian-occupied Kashmir's Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and a Hurriyet Conference leader had expressed desire that their part of Kashmir be included in the CPEC that is manifestation of the increasing importance of CPEC. Prominent among those who attended the session were: vice presidents of the FPCCI Mirza Ishtiaq Baig, Al-Haj Dhani Bakhsh Memon, Saqib Nisar and Irfan Ahmed Sarwana, former senior vice president Shaikh Khalid Tawab, former vice presidents Mumtaz Ali Shaikh and Zulfiqar Ali Shaikh, former senator Abdul Haseeb Khan, Dr Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, chairman, Pakistan Fruits and Vegetables Association (PFVA) Abdul Malik.