MIRPUR(AJK) Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq while terming the budget as historic, has said that traditions of the past seven decades have been broken in the current budget.
While addressing the AJK Legislative Assembly, which meet in the State metropolis on Thursday for approving the budget 2023-24, the PM thanked the federal government for providing sufficient funds.
He also appreciated the national security institutions’ pivotal role in the economic revival of the country. Terming the current budget as the biggest ever budget in the history of Azad Kashmir, the PM said that the liberated territory could be transformed into a well-developed region provided the money allocated in the budget was spent and utilized in a proficient manner.
He said that the process of sector-wise distribution of the budget will start in the first week of next month (July). Regarding the increase in salaries and pensions of government employees, the PM said that the official notification will be issued soon after the government receives the required funds from the federal government.
In his address, the AJK PM lauded the role of the judiciary in running the government system efficiently. He said that High courts have lent their full support to the government in its efforts to stop encroachment, milk adulteration and deforestation in the state. He said that providing good governance in the liberated territory (AJK) would rekindle the candle of hope on the other side of the Line of Control.
Referring to Kashmiris’ commitment to the noble cause, the AJK PM said that no amount of oppression can snatch away the dream of hope and freedom from the Kashmiri people. Expressing his profound grief over the Greece boat disaster that claimed hundreds of innocent lives, the Chaudhry Anwar said that he was deeply saddened by the tragic incident.
“Those involved in this illicit trade (human traffic) will be strictly dealt with as per the law of the land”, he said. The AJK PM said that he was also grateful to the allies as well as opposition parties for their full cooperation and participation in the budget session. “Disagreement is the beauty of democracy, the honourable members of the house sitting on both sides of the aisle deserve praise for their role in ensuring political harmony”, Chaudhry Anwar said adding as the leader of the house he would try his level best to serve the state and its people.
He said the government’s main focus was to increase revenue and it was not an easy task to govern people with different ideas. “I shall try to serve the state in a better way”, he said. He said that the government would try to provide free electricity up to 300 units to the mosques.
Chaudhry Anwar said that the government would fulfil its obligations regarding the establishment of Rehmatul lilalameen (SAW) authority. He said the government would implement the recommendations of the Public Accounts Committee.
Terming the Thirteenth Amendment as a great achievement, he said that we must learn to give credit where it is due. The AJK PM also appreciated the senior minister Waqar Noor and Faisal Mumtaz Rathore for their valuable contribution to the budget preparation.
“Access to information is the right of every citizen, any journalist or civil society member can get records from any office”, the PM said adding that the Prime Minister’s Office was open in case there was any problem.