Muzaffarabad: The Government of Pakistan has decided to sell valuable Kashmir properties located in various cities and rural areas across the country. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has established a seven-member committee, headed by the Minister for Kashmir Affairs, to outline the procedure for the sale. The committee, however, does not include any representative from Jammu and Kashmir, with the Chief Secretary (Pakistani) from Jammu and Kashmir being appointed as the representative.
The official reasoning behind this move is that the proceeds from the sale of these properties will be used for the welfare of the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir. However, concerns have been raised as the Kashmir properties in question are situated in prime commercial locations such as Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Gujranwala, along with agricultural land. Some of these properties have already been encroached upon, raising suspicions that the committee may attempt to sell these valuable assets to powerful groups at very low prices.
Experts argue that instead of selling these Kashmir properties, they should be handed over to local governments. This would ensure the protection of the properties until a final resolution to the Jammu and Kashmir conflict is reached. In the meantime, local governments could use the properties for commercial and agricultural purposes to generate revenue.
While it is acknowledged that local governments would also seek to profit from these properties, this approach would safeguard the assets. In the future, once permanent governments are established, the properties could be utilized for public welfare projects.