Nawaz Sharif has questioned the sharp rise in the US dollar’s value, recalling that the currency was trading at around Rs. 100 when he was prime minister and asking what happened afterward.

Addressing the PML-N Azad Kashmir parliamentary party in Murree, Nawaz said the region would be developed on the lines of Punjab, with greater attention to infrastructure, healthcare, education and employment.

He said the recent situation in Azad Kashmir was troubling and attributed it to previous governments’ failure to fulfill their responsibilities. He stressed that the public’s confidence could not be taken for granted and said his party must deliver on its commitments.

Nawaz called for increased development funding for Azad Kashmir, saying the region needed better roads and hospitals, more employment opportunities and stronger tourism infrastructure. He also proposed laptops and scholarships for students and a Kisan Card for farmers.

Commenting on the recent election, he congratulated successful candidates and praised those who contested but lost. He said some cmplaints had reached the party leadership regarding the political environment and expressed disappointment over them.

He urged political parties to keep differences from turning into personal hostility, saying Azad Kashmir had traditionally maintained a peaceful political environment.

Nawaz also praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s efforts to improve the economy, saying the country was moving toward greater stability and economic self-reliance. He said the government was working to reduce dependence on the IMF.

He further called for a helicopter for the Azad Kashmir government because of the region’s mountainous terrain.