Daily Times

The PML-N led Azad Jammu Kashmir government could not present the new financial year 2021-22 budget of Azad Jammu Kashmir in the scheduled budget session of Azad Jammu Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.

The AJK Legislative Assembly met in the State metropolis on Wednesday with Speaker Shah Ghulam Qadir in the chair.

After this the budget session was adjourned sine-die without assigning any strong, justified and solid reason.

Earlier Azad Jammu Kashmir cabinet, which met in the State capital town Wednesday afternoon with the State Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan in the chair, could not give formal approval to the budget summary for onward moving to the floor of the house [AJK Legislative Assembly] for presentation.

This year, it was the last budget of the incumbent PML [N]-led Azad Jammu Kashmir government of Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan – which is completing its current five-year constitutional term on July 24 this year.

Next government in Azad Jammu Kashmir will be formed after scheduled general elections to the State Legislative Assembly to be held on 25th of the next month of July.

According to details, Speaker Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly Shah Ghulam Qadir will preside over the session and Finance Minister Dr Najib Naqi will present the budget. The Azad Kashmir budget has proposed to set aside Rs 28 billion for development expenditure while Rs 113.4 billion will be set aside for non-development expenditure.

According to sources, the development budget has been increased by 14% over the previous financial year and foreign aid projects worth Rs 2 billion have also been included. The budget proposes to allocate Rs 10 billion for the transport and communication sector.