Govt enhances AJK's annual grant despite COVID-19 impacts: PM.

MUZAFFARABAD -- Prime Minister Imran Khan Friday said the Federal Government had enhanced the annual budget grant of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) despite negative impacts upon the country's economy caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Federal Government also did not reduce the budget allocations for Balochistan and Gilgit Baltistan in hard times because it realized that unless the backward and less developed areas achieved progress and development, Pakistan could not prosper, he added.

The prime minister was chairing a meeting to review the coronavirus situation and pace of work on different uplift projects in the AJK, PM Office Media Wing, in a press release, said. The meeting was attended by Minister for Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan Affairs Ali Amin Gandapur, AJK President Sardar Masood Khan and Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, PM Special Assistant Dr Sania Nishtar, AJK ministers and senior officials.

The AJK chief secretary apprised the prime minister of the coronavirus situation, treatment of patients, capacity building of the medical staff and doctors with the full assistance of the Government of Pakistan, implementation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) by the public, distribution of health cards among all the residents of the AJK, welfare of the affected persons of the Line of Control, pace of work on the development projects and the road-map for the implementation of future projects.

The prime minister expressed his satisfaction over the coronavirus situation in the AJK and said it was under control to a great extent, which was encouraging for other areas of the country.

Stressing upon safety of old and ailing persons through...