MUZAFFARABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday said he would ask Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to make him the prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) if his party wins the upcoming elections.
Addressing an election rally in Muzaffarabad, Nawaz said he was deeply attached to both Azad Kashmir and Indian-occupied Kashmir, describing the region as his “second home.”
He criticized the lack of infrastructure development in AJK, questioning why a highway had not been built from Kohala to Muzaffarabad despite the passage of decades.
Nawaz said that during his tenure as prime minister, he had approved a motorway project linking Mansehra, Muzaffarabad and Mirpur along the Jhelum River, describing it as a landmark development initiative for the region.
He pledged that if the PML-N forms the government in AJK, his party would complete all pending development projects, including roads, hospitals, schools, colleges and universities.
Nawaz also announced that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz would soon send 10 electric green buses to Muzaffarabad along with 15 mobile health units to improve public transport and healthcare services.
Referring to the elections, Nawaz said, “If PML-N wins, I feel like asking Shehbaz Sharif to make me the prime minister of Azad Kashmir.” He added that even if he did not assume the office, he would visit Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot and other cities every three months to review progress on the party’s election promises.
The former prime minister accused previous governments of neglecting AJK’s development, saying valuable time had been lost and pledging to make up for it if the PML-N returns to power. He expressed hope that Muzaffarabad would one day surpass major cities in development and prosperity.
