MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): The government has taken a significant step toward eradicating unemployment and empowering the youth in Azad Kashmir.
Prime Minister Iftikhar Gilani has introduced a new loan scheme with favorable terms for young people and skilled individuals—an initiative poised to play a major role in eliminating unemployment from the region.
According to a special report by *Kashmir Digital*, Raja Sajid Khan—a correspondent reporting from the Neelum Valley near the Line of Control—has praised the measures taken by Prime Minister Iftikhar Gilani to tackle unemployment. Upon assuming office, the Prime Minister decided to provide loans on easy terms to educated youth, enabling them to establish their own dignified means of livelihood.
The scheme extends beyond educated youth to include skilled men and women across Azad Kashmir, allowing them to secure loans and better support their families. Residents of the Neelum Valley have expressed appreciation for this initiative, noting that Prime Minister Iftikhar Gilani—an educated and serious-minded young leader—embodies the hopes of the youth, making his efforts highly commendable.
Citizens Express Hope
Local citizens have expressed the hope that Prime Minister Iftikhar Gilani will ensure the loan scheme reaches all eligible and deserving young people without discrimination, setting aside political considerations.
They urge the implementation of effective measures to ensure that anyone meeting the criteria—whether men or women—can obtain loans without facing obstacles. Employment Opportunities and the Role of the Proud People of Neelum Valley:
The public acknowledges that the youth constitute the majority of the population—numbering between 4 and 4.5 million—and that the government cannot provide public sector jobs or employment to every young person.
Therefore, this excellent loan scheme should be implemented as soon as possible so that the maximum number of youths can benefit from it to establish their own livelihoods, and skilled men and women can also become self-reliant enough to support their families.
Regarding Neelum Valley specifically, the entire region is situated along the Line of Control, and its youth routinely face a volatile and sensitive security environment.
For 14 to 15 years, they steadfastly withstood Indian aggression, refusing to abandon their land; acting as unpaid soldiers alongside the Pakistan Army, they have consistently stood as a pillar of support for the armed forces. They have met every act of aggression with the resilience for which the Kashmiri people are renowned.
In this context, the loan scheme introduced by Prime Minister Iftikhar Gilani for the youth of Neelum Valley and across Azad Kashmir is a highly commendable initiative.
