ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): Advisor to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan chaired the second meeting of the Steering Committee established to resolve issues related to “Water Usage Charges” in Azad Kashmir.
During the meeting, all participants presented their views on issues related to water tariffs.
The Ministry of Energy, Azad Kashmir, gave a presentation on the background of these issues, the current situation, and suggested further steps in this regard.
The participants emphasized that finding a quick and sustainable solution to these long-standing issues is the need of the hour.
According to the official news agency, the meeting was attended by Senior Minister of the Azad Kashmir Government Waqar Ahmed Noor, Minister for Energy Chaudhry Arshad, former Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, MLA Chaudhry Yasin, Minister for Local Government Faisal Rathore, Dr. Najeeb Naqi, and MLA Shah Ghulam Qadir.
Chairman Standing Committee, Cabinet Division Malik Abrar Ahmed, Member Coordination Committee Mushtaq Minhas, Chief Secretary Azad Kashmir Khushal Khan, representatives of various political parties, and relevant officials also attended the meeting.
In light of the opinions of all stakeholders, Advisor to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan formed a five-member institutional technical committee headed by Federal Secretary for Inter-Provincial Coordination Mohiuddin Wani, which will analyze the issues related to water tariffs in detail and submit its recommendations.
It was agreed in the meeting that the Azad Kashmir government will frame other issues, including water charges, and provide them to the committee within two weeks so that actionable recommendations can be made in the next meeting of the committee.
All members of the steering committee agreed with these decisions and termed them a positive step towards resolving the issue.
Rana Sanaullah stressed on the occasion that the government of Azad Kashmir and all relevant institutions of Pakistan should use all their capabilities to find an early and lasting solution to these issues so that immediate relief can be provided to the people of Azad Kashmir.
