AJK refugee seats cannot be abolished, Senate told

Adviser to Pakistan's Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, informed the Senate on Wednesday that 12 reserved seats for refugees in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly will be retained. These seats specifically represent families displaced from India-occupied Kashmir. Sanaullah emphasized that the seats could not be abolished through executive orders and noted the broad support for their continuation within AJK's constitutional framework from political parties and various forums.

The government has reportedly accepted 37 out of 38 demands put forth by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), with the sole outstanding issue being the refugee seats due to constitutional and legal complexities. Sanaullah detailed the government's engagement with JAAC, highlighting a written agreement reached after negotiations. He also mentioned that JAAC, initially formed with demands concerning electricity tariffs and wheat subsidies, had seen its major concerns addressed through a Rs23 billion relief package, including subsidized electricity and wheat.

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The government remained engaged with JAAC for several months,” he said, adding that a written agreement was signed after negotiations on 37 demands.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas alleged "massive rigging" in the Gilgit-Baltistan general elections held on June 7, stating the results were contrary to the public's wishes and could erode confidence in the system. PTI members staged a walkout after the deputy chairman did not allow the opposition leader to continue speaking on the matter. The Senate also received information from Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb regarding the disbursement of Rs5.4 billion in fuel subsidies.

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alleged “massive rigging” in Gilgit-Baltistan’s June 7 general elections, saying the results were “against the wishes of the people”