Urdu declared official language of Azad Kashmir
Pakistan Times Kashmir Desk

MUZAFFARABAD (AJK): The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday declared Urdu as official language of Azad Jammu and Kashmir but allowed English to be used for official correspondence with Pakistan Government and its affiliated departments.

The decision was taken in a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan. The cabinet decided to withdraw the previous notification declaring English as official language of the state.

The cabinet decided to fix Rs five million official price for ownership rights of bungalows constructed in Wapda Colony Mirpur and also constituted a committee headed by Chief Secretary Kashif Murtaza to review the matter of allotment of evacuee properties in different areas of Azad Kashmir.

The committee was directed to submit its report to the government within a month.

The cabinet through a resolution rejected the Indian prime minister’s allegations of infiltration into the occupied Valley from AJK and made it clear that neither any military training camp existed in the state nor mujahideen were allowed to cross over to the other side of the LoC.

The cabinet observed that the Indian allegation was an attempt to sabotage peace process in Kashmir. It also took serious note of the abduction of two AJK nationals by Indian troops in Leepa Valley and urged Pakistan Government to take the matter up with the Indian Government at the highest level for their safe release.

The cabinet observed that such provocative acts on the part of India would not augur well for dialogue process going on between India and Pakistan.

Through a resolution the AJK cabinet expressed serious concern over the treatment of Kashmiri expatriates by British law enforcement agencies after the July 7 bombings in London.

The resolution said the UK government should clearly differentiate between terrorists and peaceful citizens and must avoid such acts that created panic among a half million Kashmiri community there.●