General debate on budget for the fiscal year 2017-2018 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly (AJKLA) remained continue on Sunday despite holiday as the House put the rule in abeyance to conclude it before June 23,the Eid ul fitr holidays. The legislative Assembly met here at lodging hall on second consecutive day with speaker shah Ghulam Qadir in chair for general debate on coming fiscal year budget announced by the government and participated by different treasury and opposition members.
Treasury member Pir Ali Shah Bukhari while participating in debate, said that the budget announced by the government for next fiscal year was balanced and people friendly which would prove to be problem solving and boosting development in the region.
He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for taking keen interest in development of Azad Kashmir and said the Prime Minister paid 24 visits to Azad Kashmir during short period which shows his attachment with the territory. He said the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was making sincere efforts for development and prosperity of Azad Kashmir and for resolving longstanding Kashmir issue for which the people of Jammu and Kashmir were grateful to him.
Bukhari said the Prime Minister Nawaz increased the AJK's development budget by almost double in size which never happened in the past and increase in development budget will bring prosperity in the region in coming years. Member Assembly and special adviser to Prime Minister Sardar Khan Bhadar khan while taking part in debate termed the proposed budget for next fiscal year as balanced one and congratulated Minister Finance Dr Muhammad Najeed Naqi Khan.
He stressed the government to bring changes in Zakat system to benefit genuine needy from Zakat funds and discourage misappropriation of the fund meant for welfare of poor down trodden class. Another treasury legislator Mian Yasir Raseed while commenting on budget said it was a huge budget in the history of AJK having total volume of 94.41 Billion rupees which would change the fate of the territory however demanded the government to raise the allocation for rehabilitation of refugees 1947 in Pakistan to develop their housing colonies.
Member Legislative Assembly Chaudhry Shehzad from Muzaffarabad 11 said the government was committed to bring good governance in the region and the coming budget was reflecting its vision which would bring changes in the lives of masses soon. Opposition member and PTI leader Dewan Ghulam Mohiuddin while talking part in debate also appreciated the raise in development budget but emphasized the government to utilize for real development projects so as to benefit the general public without and discrimination.
He stressed the need for placing an effective monitoring system on the spending of development budget and development projects for better result to attain the requisite objectives. The house latter postponed for tomorrow to continue the debate which is scheduled to be completed by Wednesday and Thursday has been fixed for approval of the budget in the house.