Azad Jammu Kashmir cabinet Wednesday gave a final nod to the proposed Fifteenth Constitutional Amendment Act 2023 in the interim constitution-1974 of Azad Jammu Kashmir. The AJK Cabinet meeting, held at Jammu Kashmir House in the federal metropolis with Prime Minister Ch. Anwar-ui-Haq in the chair, was attended by ministers as well as top officials of the AJK government.
The meeting also gave green signal to the draft amendment seeking abolition of the quota of Ministers under Article 14 of the Interim Constitution of Azad Jammu and Kashmir 1974. The draft will be accordingly presented in the Legislative Assembly for the final approval, it was officially stated later Wednesday in an official press note issued by the AJK government. The official handout issued by the AJK government continued that the cabinet also approved several measures to improve the governance system in the state. In a rare move, the cabinet fixed the petrol limit for ministers to 500 litres per car, which was earlier unlimited. The cabinet also approved all orders issued by the prime minister since he assumed office. Addressing the cabinet meeting, the AJK prime minister said that the federal government had expressed its willingness to provide development funds worth 12 billion rupees to the state. “It is the sole responsibility of the state machinery to utilize these funds in a timely and transparent manner”, he said, adding that there was a dire need that projects of public interest should be accomplished on priority.
Spelling out his government’s priorities, the prime minister said that the establishment of merit and rule of law in the state was his government’s first and foremost priority. “No society or state can flourish without the implementation of the rule of law”, he said, adding that everyone had to be accountable under the law. The prime minister said that he was ready to present himself for accountability.
He made it clear that all ministers, chief Secretary, secretaries ,heads of departments, and officials were bound by the law and were also responsible for their every action. Expressing his dissatisfaction over the prevailing accountability system in the state, the prime minister said that the accountability bureau and the anti-corruption department were ineffective because they lack authority. The prime minister said that a committee headed by a senior minister had been formed that would present actionable suggestions and recommendations within 48 hours, vis-a-vis making the accountability bureau effective and ensuring a transparent and across the board accountability. In order to curtail government spending, he said that austerity measures would be observed in all government offices to cut expenditure.
He made it clear that all the departments should ensure the implementation of the prime minister’s orders, adding that the government would not tolerate any kind of negligence or leniency in that regard. Regarding the devolution of power to the grassroots level, the PM said that the powers would be transferred to the lower level to the best advantage of the masses.
The cabinet meeting was attended among others by Senior Minister Colonel (Retd) Waqar Noor, AJK Minister Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, and senior officials including Chief Secretary Dr Muhammad Usman Chachar, Principal Secretary/Additional Chief Secretary Development, Senior Member Board of Revenue, Secretary Finance, Secretary Services and General Administration, Secretary Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Human Rights, Secretary Information AJK and other senior officials of the state government.__Daily Times
