ISLAMABAD, Jun 18 (APP): The Government of Pakistan has signed an MoU, with the Government of China on Thursday to reconstruct and rehabilitate three major cities of AJK destroyed in the 2005 earthquake, under AJK Urban Development Programme. The umbrella contract for this project has already been signed between ERRA and the Two Chinese Construction Companies.

In order to assist the Government of Pakistan to complete the development work in the earthquake affected areas of Muzaffarabad, Bagh and Rawalakot, the Government of China offered credit worth US$ 300 million, whereas the Government of Pakistan contributed additional US$ 53 million to complete various reconstruction projects under AJK Urban Development Project.

For smooth and effective implementation of MCDP, a Steering Committee” has been constituted under the Deputy Chairman ERRA Lt. Gen Sajjad Akram, which has the mandate to give policy direction for Project Implementation and ensure timely and effective coordination of all inputs.

The contract signing is in line with ERRA’s Mission of “Build Back Better”.

The AJK Urban Development Programme aimed at providing safe housing, improved city environment, modern physical and social infrastructures with the target to boost economic and social growth in the Earthquake affected areas.

For Muzaffarabad City, an amount of US$ 190.62 million has been allocated for completion of 90 projects.

In Bagh 50 projects worth $ 123.55 million and in Rawalakot city, 30 projects with a cost of US$ 38.83 million will be completed in the next 4 and half years.

These projects will provide all modern day facilities including construction of Government buildings, roads bridges, shopping centers, Satellite towns, play grounds, parks, education and health facilities, wholesale markets, slaughterhouses, transport terminals, neighborhood centers, designing and Laying of infrastructure facilities like water supply, sewerage, underground electricity and telecom cables. These facilities will be developed by Chinese Companies.

BAGH (SANA): Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Syed Munawar Hassan said on Monday that the freedom movement of Kashmir is the war for Pakistan’s completion and nation will not allow any ruler to deceit with Kashmir issue.

He assured Syed Ali Gilani and the whole Kashmiri nation that the whole nation is on the back of Mujahideen.

This Munawar Hassan said while addressing the “Right of Self-Determination Conference”, adding that peace in the region is only possible after accepting the right of self determination of Kashmiri’s.

He asked the rulers to stop the military operation and solve the problem through dialogue process with Taliban in Swat, Malakand and Dir.

He said India is hatching conspiracies against Pakistan to weaken it, adding that the need is to counter the Indian efforts to weaken Pakistan.

Munawar Hassan said that the unity among the political parties is the need of the hour for the success of Kashmiri’s freedom movement.

He said that all the people living in Pakistan support the freedom movement of Jammu Kashmir.

He said that the rulers are fighting American war and through a conspiracy Pakistan Army is fighting its own people.

Addressing the conference Amir Jamaat-e-Islami Abdul Rashid Turabi said that Azad Kashmir is not playing its role as the base camp for the freedom movement of Indian Occupied Kashmir.

He asked the people to pressurize the AJK rulers to restore the true role of AJK as the base camp of Kashmiri’s freedom struggle.

He said that India is hatching conspiracies against Pakistan and wants to weaken Pakistan within it.

He said that the weak Pakistan will certainly affect the Kashmiris freedom struggle.

Turabi said that the Kashmiris are fighting the war of Pakistan’s survival, adding that strong Pakistan will provide guarantee for the independence of Kashmir’s.

Addressing the conference United Jihad Council Chairman Syed Salahuddin said that the Kashmiris are fighting to achieve their inherent right which is the independence of Kashmir from the Indian tyrant rule.

He said that India is committing the human rights violations in Jammu Kashmir and rape of two women in Shopian is the worst example of Indian suppression in Kashmir.

Salahuddin hoped that the Pakistani government will continue its support for the Kashmiris freedom struggle.

Hurriyat leader Ghulam Muhammad Safi, Ghulam Nabi Nowsheri, JI Naib Amir AJK sheikh Aqeel-ur-Rehman, Amir Jamiat Ah-le-Hadis AJK Maulana Noor Ruknuddin, Maulana Syed Ataullah Shah, and others also addressed the conference.

BAGH (SANA): 23 vehicles coming from Rawalpindi to Bagh were looted at gunpoint in Kotli Satian on Wednesday.

The dacoits manged to escape from the site after robbing the vehicles where passengers were deprived of their 0.4 million besides that robbers took away one hundred mobiles as well.

According to the details, owing to the series of the robbing incidents, the masses demanded the Pakistani government as well as of AJK government to take immediate actions against the dacoits and brought them before the court so that no one could do dare to commit such heinous crime in the time to come.