MUZAFFARABAD(National Times)- PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif on Friday promised an international airport for Mirpur, the revival of Mansehra-Muzaffarabad-Mirpur mot\u00ado\u00adrway project, and a series of \u2018gifts\u2019 for Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), as he and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz made a final campaign push for party\u2019s candidates hours before the electioneering ended for the Mirpur division polls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the pre-poll promises, and an apparent jibe at PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, was not received well by the PML-N\u2019s coalition partner, whose leaders hit back at the elder Sharif, terming his remarks \u2018frivolous\u2019 and \u2018ridiculous\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Addressing a large public meeting in the lakeside city of Mirpur, the father-daughter duo repeatedly highlighted their Kashmiri roots and told supporters that AJK needed the same infrastructure and welfare-focused governance that had been introduced in Punjab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Describing Kashmir as his \u201cfirst home\u201d, Mr Sharif said he shared a deep emotional bond with the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In an apparent swipe at the PPP chairman, Mr Sharif said Kashmir should not be mistaken for Kashmore, nor Mirpur for Mirpurkhas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mentioning Mr Bhutto-Zardari by name for the first time during his election campaign in AJK, he said: \u201cDon\u2019t take this the wrong way, Bilawal bhai. You are like a son to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPolitical sparring among parties should continue. There can even be some sharp exchanges, and that\u2019s perfectly healthy. But there should be no fighting or violence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have come with a pledge that, God willing, we will change the destiny of Mirpur and all of Azad Kashmir,\u201d he said, while asking successive governments in Pakistan and AJK what they had done for the region since his ouster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said the PML-N\u2019s manifesto accorded priority to education and healthcare, promising new schools, colleges and universities as well as hospitals equipped with CT scanners and MRI facilities so that residents would not have to travel to Pakistan for treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nawaz also announced a gift of 10 \u2018Hospitals on Wheels\u2019 and as many electric green buses for Mirpur from the Punjab government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also pledged to dualise the Kotli-Nakyal road, construct tunnels at Lohar Gali and Leepa Valley in Muzaffarabad division, re\u00ad\u00adv\u00ad\u00adive the long-stalled motorway project linking Mans\u00adehra, Muzaffarabad and Mirpur along the Jhelum River, and seek the establishment of an international airport in Mirpur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking after him, CM Maryam argued that AJK did not suffer from a lack of resources but from inadequate infrastructure, insu\u00adfficient welfare program\u00admes and poor governance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She asked the audience who had built the Kohala-Muzaffarabad Road, the Murree-Kohala Road and cardiac hospitals, prompting chants of \u201cNawaz Sharif\u201d from the crowd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Punjab CM pledged that welfare schemes introduced by the PML-N government in Punjab would be extended to AJK immediately after the elections, saying voters should support the party if they wanted development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe world will see a clean Azad Kashmir after the elections,\u201d she said, urging people to \u201cthink carefully\u201d before casting their ballots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PPP hits back<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The announcement of schemes for AJK, including the \u2018gift\u2019 of 10 e-buses, during the campaign did not go well with the PPP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PPP-Parliamentarians Secretary General Nayyar Bukhari strongly criticised the PML-N leadership for gifting 10 electric buses, bearing CM Maryam\u2019s images, to AJK during the election campaign and described the move as \u201cpolitical bribery\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He demanded the chief election commissioner take immediate notice of the transfer of the buses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some PPP candidates for AJK Assembly elections, including Sardar Javed Ayub, Sardar Mukhtar Abbasi and Syed Bazil Ali Naqvi, also opposed the PML-N move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Taking exception to Mr Sharif\u2019s remarks about the PPP chief, AJK Legislative Assembly Spe\u00adaker and PPP candidate Chaudhry Latif Akbar alleged a series of promises made by PML-N leaders during their election rallies constituted a violation of the election code of conduct, and called on the Election Commission to take strict notice. He told the presser the announcements amounted to an attempt to woo voters ahead of polls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Taking exception to Mr Sharif\u2019s light-hearted remark at a Muzaffarabad rally that he would ask Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to make the PML-N\u2019s nominee the next prime minister of AJK, Mr Akbar quipped: \u201cNawaz Sharif\u2019s own brother did not make him prime minister, yet he comes here and complains about it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Referring to Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz\u2019s claims, Mr Akbar alleged the PML-N leadership was attempting to \u201cbuy Kashmiri votes\u201d through pre-election promises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Separately, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon hit back at Mr Sharif\u2019s jibe, saying: \u201cDo not make the land and people of Sindh and Kashmir a subject of ridicule and humour\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Political differences ha\u00ad\u00adve their place, but ridicule of any province, city or area is not acceptable un\u00ad\u00ad\u00adder any circumstances, he said, terming the ex-PM\u2019s remarks \u201cnot only frivolous but also ridiculous\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MUZAFFARABAD(National Times)- PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif on Friday promised an international airport for Mirpur, the revival of Mansehra-Muzaffarabad-Mirpur mot\u00ado\u00adrway project, and a series of \u2018gifts\u2019 for Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), as he and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz made a final campaign push for party\u2019s candidates hours before the electioneering ended for the Mirpur […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":130021,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-130020","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n