PML-N minister's 'cordiality' with PPP govt spotlights AJK Council affairs

The growing “contacts and cordiality” between the Federal Minister for Kashmir affairs Chaudhry Barjees Tahir and the Peoples Party led Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government have served to create a gulf between him and the AJK chapter of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N).

And at the same time, they have once again turned the spotlight on the unbridled spending of AJK taxpayers’ hard earned money at the hands of those who are at the helm in any respect in the AJK Council, an institution of which Mr Tahir happens to be the in-charge federal minister.

Such is the state of affairs that the PML-N AJK chapter has called for intervention of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the situation, in a recently dispatched letter. Mr Sharif has also been requested to replace Mr Tahir in the likely cabinet reshuffle by someone else, who does not have biradri (clannish) connections in AJK.

Mr Tahir who not too long ago would be denounced by the PPP led AJK government, a day in and a day out, for his insistence on elimination of alleged corruption and improvement of governance in AJK has not only mended fences with the local PPP leaders, but is also alleged to be facilitating them, to the chagrin of his party’s AJK chapter, sources say.

On October 27, when Mr Tahir travelled to Muzaffarabad with acting Prime Minister Chaudhry Mohammad Yasin to attend the ‘Black Day’ demonstration under the aegis of the AJK government, none of the PML-N leaders was seen meeting and greeting him here, thus bringing in the open the disagreement between the two sides, sources added.

“The PML-N believes that Mr Tahir is in cahoots with some PPP leaders in AJK, presumably on the basis of biradri, and for that reason he is not only doling them out the AJK Council funds, but also helping them have lent officers of their choice posted in AJK,” confided a source in the PML-N.

It may be recalled here that the federal minister for Kashmir affairs also happens to be the in-charge federal minister of the AJK Council, an institution created through the AJK’s Interim Constitution Act, 1974, and headed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Interestingly, neither the prime minister nor the federal minister take oath for these positions under the AJK’s Interim Constitution.

The Council, which comprises six members elected by the AJK Assembly and as many co-opted from the Parliament of Pakistan, was created to serve as a bridge between the governments in Islamabad and Muzaffarabad. However, contrarily, people believe, it has turned itself into a parallel government, which in no way is answerable to the AJK people.  

Its main source of income is 20 per cent of the income tax, it generates from the AJK territory as well as (entire) license fees from the telecom companies operating in AJK. The remaining 80 per cent of income tax is given to the AJK government. 

However, what has always been an issue of serious concern for the AJK people is the wanton disbursement of Council funds, largely at the discretion of its in-charge federal minister.

In the current year’s budget, which is yet to be passed, the Council has earmarked Rs 2.6 billion for developmental activities within AJK and Pakistan, even though legally it is not mandated to carry out developmental work within the territory of AJK.

However, this law has never been followed, as these development activities at inflated rates suit the vested interests. They are filling their pockets, without any fear of inquiry or monitoring by any accountability body in AJK and Pakistan.

The AJK based media has no access to the Council records and the Pakistan based media has no interest in its affairs. Those few who try to dig out details are offered tempting “schemes” which many hardly refuse, and hence the loot and plunder goes on with impunity.

In the current year’s budget, the federal minister has placed a staggering Rs 300 million for developmental activities anywhere in AJK and Pakistan at his discretion. Rs 45 million each have been proposed at the discretion of the AJK president, who happens to be the vice chairman of Council, the AJK prime minister and the six elected members.

In the absence of any criterion for spending, these funds are mostly frittered away. 

Mr Tahir has also brought an Executive Engineer (XEN) from Punjab to head the Development Wing of the AJK Council as Superintending Engineer (SE), so that everything - from preparation of schemes to their execution – is done by the Council itself.

Resultantly, now no one else will be able to share the kickbacks.  

The PML-N AJK leaders had long been demanding special audit of the AJK Council, particularly after allegations that its former in-charge federal minister in the PPP government, Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo, had “shamelessly abused the Council funds to mint money for himself and cronies.”

However, they feel exasperated after Mr Tahir has not only “brushed off that demand but has himself adopted the course of his predecessors,” sources say.

Sources disclose that the PML-N AJK leadership, which is not on talking terms with Mr Tahir for quite some time, also believes that he has an “attitude problem.”

During his recent tour to Kotli, Mr Tahir was alleged to have misbehaved with two PML-N lawmakers.

 The PML-N AJK has demanded of PM Sharif to take stock of the situation. Besides, it has given him some suggestions to ensure judicious spending of the AJK Council funds.

“The AJK taxpayers’ money in the Council has always been misused as political bribe by successive federal ministers and ironically the vice is being continued by the incumbent minister,” the PML-N AJK is said to have complained to Mr Sharif along with some pieces of evidence.

However, publicly the PML-N AJK leaders are tight-lipped about the differences, “lest it can aggravate problems for Mr Sharif, already upset by the Imran Khan led offensive,” sources say.  

“We are virtually helpless. We cannot show our wounds to the public. But if the situation remains unheeded it will eventually deal a serious blow to us in the next elections,” remarked a PML-N leader on condition of anonymity.

When this scribed contacted Raja Farooq Haider, PML-N president in AJK, he confirmed the differences, though cautiously.

“We have some reservations which we have brought in the notice of our central leadership,” he said.

Interestingly before the last year’s general elections in Pakistan, Mr Sharif had pledged in his election manifesto to empower the AJK government by transferring it most of the Council’s legislative powers. However, more than a year on, he has not found time to pay attention to this issue.

As Mr Sharif owes gratitude to PPP for its support to him in the crises kicked up by PTI and PAT, he has turned a blind eye towards the allegations of corruption against the AJK government. A comprehensive document prepared by PML-N MLA Chaudhry Tariq Farooq, in this regard, is therefore gathering dust in the PM’s office in Islamabad.  

Early this year, it was the PPP in AJK seeking Mr Tahir's removal from Kashmir affair's ministry and as the year draws to a close it’s his own PML-N in AJK making a similar demand, though apparently for unalike reasons.

Whatever may be the cause it’s however a blessing in disguise, because it calls attention to the misuse of funds in the AJK Council and the dire need for its reorganization through the much touted reforms in the AJK’s Interim Constitution.

Tariq Naqash