MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly on Tuesday expressed grief and sorrow over the large-scale deaths and destruction in Türkiye and Syria and asked the government to open a fund to support the survivors there in keeping with its capacity and resources.

The suggestion was given during a debate on two unanimously approved resolutions tabled by PM’s adviser on religious affairs Hafiz Hamid Raza and opposition PML-N president Shah Ghulam Qadir. The session, which was presided over by Speaker Chaudhry Anwarul Haq, was convened on the requisition of the combined opposition.

The legislators recalled how Turkish officials and aid workers had come rushing in after the 2005 earthquake in AJK to carry out rescue, relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction related activities.

Mr Raza said it was the demand of the brotherhood to reciprocate the kind gestures of the government and people of Türkiye.

Expresses grief, sorrow over large-scale deaths, destruction from earthquake

The lawmakers decided that all of them, including cabinet members, would donate their five days’ salary while the government servants would contribute their one-day’s salary in the fund for this purpose.

On the suggestion of the PPP president, Chaudhry Mohammad Yasin the house agreed that a representative delegation of the AJK’s parliamentary parties would visit Türkiye at their personal expense to express solidarity with the victims.

But prior to that, a delegation of legislators would also visit the Turkish Embassy in Islamabad to offer condolences on behalf of the Kashmiri nation.

Mr Yasin announced on the occasion that he and his legislator son Amir Yasin would donate their one month’s salary in the proposed fund.

Former premier Raja Farooq Haider said that Kashmiris living abroad could also play an active role for relief and rehabilitation of the quake survivors.

Minister for trade and industry Chaudhry Maqbool Gujjar said that the business chambers of Sialkot and Mirpur had assured their maximum possible assistance in this regard.

Earlier, during the question hour, a weighty short notice question by PPP’s Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, which the chair termed as “killer” generated intense debate in the house.

Responding to a question, minister for planning and development Chaudhry Mohammad Rasheed maintained that the government had the authority to create [as many] posts as it deemed necessary.

The speaker maintained that he had not questioned the authority of the government [to create posts], but had only asked from which budgetary head these expenditures were being met.

Another important question by PML-N’s Waqar Ahmed Noor was deferred by the chair till next sitting.

The written reply in the agenda revealed that Raja Sabeel was a special political assistant to the prime minister in BS-20 who had been allotted a five door Land Cruiser, which had cost over Rs 1.2 million in the last three months of 2022.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2023