Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore announced ownership rights for more than 1,000 families displaced from the Line of Control who had been living for years on state land in Janyal, located on the outskirts of Mirpur.
The announcement was made during a ceremony organised to officially transfer land rights to the internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Most of these families had migrated from nearby Bhimber and Kotli districts after 1998 due to cross-LoC shelling and had settled on unused government land in the Janyal area since 2006.
Beneficiaries had occupied state land near Mirpur in 2006 after fleeing cross-border shelling in 1998.
Addressing the gathering, the prime minister commended the affected families for their resilience and sacrifices after being forced to leave their homes due to what he termed “unprovoked and indiscriminate” shelling along the LoC.
“From today, you are the rightful owners of the land where you have been living for years,” Rathore said while congratulating the beneficiaries.
He also announced plans to establish a dispensary in the area.
Mr Rathore recalled that a similar step had been taken during the previous PPP government led by former prime minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed, when land ownership rights were granted to refugees residing in Khaliqabad and surrounding localities.
He added that the notification issued for Janyal followed the same precedent.
The prime minister expressed optimism that his party, the PPP, would emerge successful in the 2026 elections.
“Today we are here to grant you your rights; next time we will come to seek your vote,” he remarked, adding that sincerity of intent held central importance in politics and was rewarded by God.
“Power, authority and governance must serve to protect people’s rights, and the government will use all available resources to ensure public welfare,” Mr Rathore said.
“Effective leadership ensures problems are resolved,” he added.
He described the PPP as a party representing ordinary citizens, committed to providing basic needs such as bread, clothing and shelter.
Acknowledging that public confidence in politics had declined, he said the PPP had made efforts to restore that trust.
“Our political mission is to deliver maximum facilities to the people, and we will continue working towards that objective,” he said.
Earlier, while addressing another gathering in Kharri Sharif, Mr Rathore announced several development initiatives for the area, including granting it tehsil status and upgrading the Jatlan police post and a girls’ degree college.
Criticising the rival PML-N, he said its leadership remained divided over the office of the prime minister, whereas the PPP was focused on practical efforts to protect public rights.
“The government has yet to fully begin work on the ground, yet the opposition is already anxious; this reflects that they have mentally accepted defeat even before the elections,” he said.
