AJK refugee seats cannot be abolished, Senate informed

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah told the Senate on Wednesday that the 12 reserved seats for refugees in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly would remain in place, saying they represented families displaced from India-occupied Kashmir.

Responding to a point raised by Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, Mr Sanaullah said the seats could not be removed through executive orders. He told the upper house that political parties in AJK, its parliament and other constitutional forums backed the continuation of refugee representation within the constitutional framework.

He also said the government had accepted 37 of the 38 demands presented by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). Referring to talks with the group, he said the government had remained engaged with JAAC for several months and that a written agreement was signed after negotiations on those 37 demands. According to Mr Sanaullah, the only unresolved issue was the demand related to refugee seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly, which he said involved constitutional and legal complications.

On June 5, the AJK government declared JAAC a proscribed organisation under anti-terrorism laws. Mr Sanaullah said the committee had initially emerged in 2023 with demands concerning electricity tariffs and wheat subsidy. He added that the government addressed its main demands by fixing electricity at Rs4 per unit, providing subsidised wheat and announcing a Rs23 billion relief package for the region.

Mr Sanaullah alleged that some elements were trying to create instability ahead of the upcoming AJK elections despite repeated offers of dialogue. He said the polls were due before August 4 and referred to a protest call for June 9 that, he said, had been announced in January. He told the House that peace and stability in AJK would be maintained in accordance with the law.

Opposition raises GB election concerns

During the session, Opposition Leader Raja Nasir Abbas alleged massive rigging in Gilgit-Baltistan’s general elections held on June 7 and said the outcome ran contrary to the public mandate. He warned that electoral manipulation eroded public trust and said widening the gap between people and the system could have serious consequences.

He also referred to recent unrest in AJK and said political interference would cause further instability. He said restrictions on information fuel rumours and unrest, and added that people in Gilgit-Baltistan were concerned about land and mineral resources being occupied by outsiders.

After Deputy Chairman Syedaal Khan Nasar did not allow him to continue on the matter, members of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf staged a walkout in protest. The deputy chairman said that if the opposition leader had complaints, he should take them to the Gilgit-Baltistan Election Commission.

Finance minister outlines fuel subsidy disbursement

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb told the Senate that the government would continue efforts to shield lower-income groups from the impact of higher fuel prices while preserving economic stability. He was responding to a calling-attention notice moved by Senator Mohsin Aziz.

Mr Aurangzeb said Rs5.4 billion had so far been disbursed under a targeted fuel subsidy programme, while Rs4.61bn had also been provided to support small farmers in the context of rising international fuel prices. He said the government extended an overall subsidy of Rs129bn after tensions in the Middle East drove up global oil prices.

He said the government had moved away from a broad-based subsidy and introduced a targeted mechanism for motorcycle owners, public transport users, transport operators and small farmers. Around 800,000 motorcycle owners had benefited from the programme, while passenger and goods transport vehicle owners received financial assistance ranging from Rs35,000 to Rs100,000.

According to the finance minister, Rs3.5bn was distributed among more than 105,000 vehicle owners in the first phase, while Rs1.9bn was disbursed to over 65,000 beneficiaries in the second phase through what he described as a transparent verification system.

Five bills passed unanimously

The Senate also unanimously approved five pieces of legislation: the Motion Pictures (Amendment) Bill, the Travel Agencies (Amendment) Bill, the Pakistan Tourist Guides (Amendment) Bill, the Pakistan Hotels and Restaurants (Amendment) Bill, and the Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (Conversion) (Repeal) Bill.