LAHORE - Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan said on Tuesday that frontline leaders of the Pakistan Movement had a strong affection for Kashmir and Kashmiris.

The Quaid-i-Azam had termed Kashmir the jugular vein of Pakistan. “I am grateful to people of Pakistan for supporting Kashmiris. Their commitment with Kashmiris would never be compromised. Kashmiris are rendering unprecedented sacrifices and showing perseverance without any foreign support. Establishment of an ideological state in the shape of Pakistan after the ideological state of Medina was a blessing of God. Pakistan would sustain forever and we would keep striving for a strong and prosperous Pakistan.

He was addressing the Kashmir session at the 10 annual conference of Nazaria-i-Pakistan Trust (NPT). He criticised India for controlling rivers flow leading to Pakistan, saying that Pakistan was facing water shortage due to India. He said the Quaid had warned Sheikh Abdullah about the Congress because it would deceive him but he did not take it seriously and got trapped. He laid stress on unity to take Pakistan forward. He said his government was striving hard to ensure prosperity of the people of Kashmir while protecting their basic rights. He said that Kashmiris in the Indian Held Kashmir have been deprived of their fundamental rights. He said the development budget of Azad Kashmir government had been increased manifold. Pakistan Movement Workers Trust Chairman Chief Justice (r) Mian Mehboob Ahmad presided over the Kashmir Session and other speakers included Sahibzada Mian Waleed Ahmad Sharqpuri, Abdul Khaliq, Shahid Rasheed, Engr. Mushtaq Mehmood, Farooq Khan Azad and Usman Ahmad.

Three-day NPT conference begins

The Nazaria-i-Pakistan Trust kicked off three-day 10th annual conference on Tuesday. The inaugural session was held at Aiwan-i-Karkunan-i-Tehreek-i Pakistan. NPT Chairmen and former President of Pakistan Rafique Tarar addressed the inaugural session. Besides him, other office bearers of NPT also spoke to a large number of people attending the national conference.  Delegates from across the country have arrived in the city to participate in the three day proceedings. In his address, Chairman of NPT Tarar said Quaid-i-Azam had dreamt of having a modern, Islamic, democratic and welfare state in the shape of Pakistan, which should be a source of strength for the Indian Muslims but pride for the whole Islamic world.

He urged upon the audience to reinvigorate the spirit of Pakistan Movement to deal with terrorism and other challenges.

He invited the civil society from the platform of Nazaria-i-Pakistan Conference to follow the teachings of Quaid-i-Azam and Allama lqbal and highlight the ideological basis of the country.

Vice Chairman of NPT Prof Dr Rafique Ahmed said the Trust was moving forward while casting aside political, communal, regional and linguistic prejudices.

Mian Farooq Altaf said the mission of the Trust is to achieve the targets of Pakistan Movement.

Justice (Retd) Khalil-ur-Rehman urged upon the audience to give priority to national interest over self interest to take Pakistan forward.

Justice (Retd) Aftab Farrukh said Pakistan has transformed from nothing to everything within a short span of time by attaining nuclear technology within 70 years of its establishment.

Leading industrialist Iftikhar Ali Malik said only hard work can enable us to achieve our dream of making Pakistan prosperous.

Begum Khalida Munir Chugtai, Begum Mehnaz Rafi, Professor Dr Perveen Khan and Secretary of NPT Shahid Rasheed also spoke on the occasion.