New AJK govt seeks investment, revival of idle industrial units

Muzaffarabad: The newly appointed Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government has announced a series of initiatives aimed at attracting investment, revitalizing idle industrial units, and enhancing state revenue utilization. This announcement was made by Minister for Tourism, Industries, Trade, Labour and Mineral Resources Chaudhry Abdul Rehman Arain during a departmental briefing.

Arain, a UK-based businessman, urged investors to overcome bureaucratic obstacles and simplify business setup processes. He emphasized that numerous Kashmiri nationals, both locally and internationally, remain eager to invest in their homeland but are discouraged by bureaucratic hurdles. Arain proposed implementing a one-window operation to streamline the process and encourage investment.

He identified tourism as the sector with the most significant investment potential and promised to seek detailed insights from relevant departments to explore development strategies. The minister also directed the department to revive closed industrial units and plants, ensuring that potential investors would have opportunities even if existing ones failed to operationalize within the given timeframe.

By leveraging inactive industrial assets, Arain aimed to create employment opportunities and contribute to the state's economy. He stressed the importance of effective utilization of industrial land and public resources to increase state revenue. Additionally, the minister sought a comprehensive strategy to generate employment opportunities for young people and promote industrial development across the government.

All government institutions were urged to collaborate in the state's development and welfare. Earlier, Prime Minister’s Secretary Sardar Adnan Khurshid briefed the minister on the department's performance and various issues, with other officials present during the briefing.