Nawaz Sharif has pledged to ask Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for a helicopter to aid the Azad Jammu and Kashmir administration.
The former prime minister, now president of the Pakistan Muslim League‑Nawaz (PML‑N), made the statement during a meeting focused on development plans for the northern region. He said the helicopter would be a vital asset for the Azad Kashmir government, enabling faster transport of officials, medical teams and supplies across the rugged terrain that characterizes the area.
Azad Kashmir’s topography—mountainous valleys, limited road networks, and frequent landslides—has long hampered emergency response and infrastructure projects. A dedicated helicopter would allow rapid deployment of engineers and emergency services to remote villages, potentially reducing response times for medical evacuations and disaster relief. The request also dovetails with the federal government’s broader push to upgrade the region’s connectivity, including new road links and bridge construction.
While PML‑N remains in opposition, Nawaz Sharif’s appeal underscores the party’s continued engagement with federal initiatives. If the request is granted, it would signal a collaborative effort between the central and Azad Kashmir governments, and could set a precedent for future joint procurement projects aimed at bolstering the region’s infrastructure and public safety capabilities.