In a dramatic session marked by protest and procedural controversy, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly on Wednesday approved a Rs310.2 billion budget for the fiscal year 2025–26—without opposition participation.
The budget session, scheduled to begin in the morning, was delayed by more than two hours as five opposition lawmakers, including four from the PTI and one from the Jammu Kashmir People’s Party, staged a sit-in outside the assembly hall. The opposition accused the coalition government of “bulldozing” the budget process by once again suspending standard rules of debate.
Despite attempts by several ministers and Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar to persuade the protestors, the opposition refused to enter the chamber. Inside, Finance Minister Majid Khan moved a resolution to suspend procedural rules requiring a minimum of four days of debate—a move swiftly passed by the treasury benches.
Calling the document both “historic” and “people-friendly,” Khan said the budget reflects “just distribution of resources and clear developmental priorities.” Of the Rs310.2bn total, Rs261.2bn will fund recurring expenditures, with revenues sourced from local taxes, internal receipts, and AJK’s share in federal taxes. The development portion—Rs49bn—is supported mainly by a federal development grant, though past allocations fell short of their targets.
Khan also announced salary and pension hikes for government employees in line with federal decisions, claiming the government remained committed to economic stability despite fiscal constraints.
Opposition leaders, including PML-N’s Shah Ghulam Qadir and Raja Farooq Haider, condemned the hasty proceedings. “This is not how democracy works,” Qadir said, criticizing the absence of debate on a matter as crucial as public finance. Haider warned against using “brute majority” to sidestep parliamentary norms.
As opposition members walked out, the budget—with all demands for grants—was passed unopposed. The House adjourned until June 23.
