Key Takeaways
- Maryam Nawaz pledges electric bikes, interest-free loans for AJK.
- Scholarships and laptops to benefit students in the region.
- Healthcare projects including Clinic on Wheels units announced.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has announced a series of welfare initiatives aimed at improving the lives of people in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). During an election rally in Muzaffarabad, she detailed several programs that would be extended to AJK if her party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), wins the upcoming elections.
Among the initiatives announced were electric bikes and interest-free loans for residents of AJK. Maryam Nawaz stated that these schemes currently in place in Punjab would also benefit the people of AJK once PML-N comes to power. She added, 'We will ensure that the same benefits enjoyed by Punjabis are extended to our brothers and sisters in AJK.'
The announcement included plans for 2,000 scholarships and 5,000 laptops for students in AJK, aiming to enhance educational opportunities. Additionally, Maryam Nawaz pledged to introduce the Himmat Card program for persons with disabilities in AJK, similar to the initiative launched in Punjab.
Healthcare was another focus area of her speech. She announced that 15 Clinic on Wheels units would be provided to improve healthcare access in AJK. Furthermore, she highlighted ongoing healthcare projects in Punjab, such as the construction of new hospitals, including the 1,000-bed Nawaz Sharif Cancer Hospital in Lahore, which she said would also benefit patients from Azad Kashmir.
Maryam Nawaz also addressed employment opportunities for youth in AJK, stating that PML-N would ensure job prospects if elected to power. She added, 'We will create employment opportunities and provide a brighter future for the young people of AJK.'
In her speech, Maryam Nawaz further mentioned plans to request Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to expand the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar housing scheme to AJK, aiming to improve living conditions in the region.
The announcements were made during an election rally in Muzaffarabad, where Maryam Nawaz emphasized her party's commitment to improving the quality of life for people in AJK. She concluded by saying, 'We are committed to bringing development and welfare to every corner of Pakistan, including AJK.'
'We will ensure that the same benefits enjoyed by Punjabis are extended to our brothers and sisters in AJK.'
Maryam Nawaz, Punjab Chief Minister
'We will create employment opportunities and provide a brighter future for the young people of AJK.'
Maryam Nawaz, Punjab Chief Minister
