MUZAFFARABAD – In a session marked by an opposition boycott, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed the Finance Act 2025, signaling a unified stance by the ruling coalition amid deepening regional tensions.
Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar presided over the proceedings, during which Finance Minister Abdul Majid Khan presented the select committee’s report on the finance bill. The bill passed without objection.
Thanking allies for their support, Khan reaffirmed the government’s commitment to addressing the concerns of post-1989 Kashmiri refugees. “We will resolve their issues within our powers and seek federal cooperation where necessary,” he said.
Responding to a call-attention notice, Home Minister Waqar Noor pledged to address wage disparities in the police force. He noted recent reforms, including the establishment of six new police stations, tripling of ration allowances, and the addition of new patrol vehicles.
AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq underscored the government’s dedication to fairness in development. “There is no room for political bias. Resources are being distributed equitably, across party lines,” he declared.
Calling the newly approved budget “tax-free and deficit-free,” Haq lauded it as a milestone in fiscal self-reliance. Despite a projected shortfall of Rs19 billion, the government achieved a zero-deficit balance.
He outlined plans to revamp public services and infrastructure, including the construction or rehabilitation of 500 kilometers of roads. An allocation of Rs1 billion for the resettlement of post-1989 refugees remains intact, with work already underway on 700 new homes.
Before the session adjourned, the House adopted three resolutions. These condemned Indian Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks on the Indus Waters Treaty, decried Indian actions in occupied Kashmir, demanded medical access for jailed leader Shabbir Ahmad Shah, and praised Pakistan and Iran’s responses to regional aggression.
