The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly on Wednesday constituted two bipartisan committees to address issues of clean drinking water, sewerage and waste recycling in Muzaffarabad and Kotli.
The session was presided over by Deputy Speaker Chaudhry Riaz Gujjar.
Responding to a calling attention notice by an opposition lawmaker from Muzaffarabad, Prime Minister Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore recalled that during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to the city, attention had been drawn to civic issues, including stalled reconstruction of earthquake-hit schools, and Rs5 billion had been sought under the federal PSDP. He said Rs1bn had been released, which would be used to complete school buildings that were already 80pc finished.
Emphasising that Muzaffarabad’s issues were a collective responsibility, the prime minister supported the formation of a House committee to identify problems and suggest remedies. The chair subsequently constituted a committee comprising the minister for housing and physical planning and two members each from the treasury and the opposition.
PPP regional president Chaudhry Yasin pointed out that his constituency — Kotli city — faced similar issues and called for a similar committee. The prime minister, referring to complaints raised during his recent visit to Kotli about waste disposal, clean drinking water and sewerage, endorsed the proposal. The deputy speaker then constituted another committee comprising five treasury and one opposition member from Kotli district.
Both committees will submit recommendations to the government.
During question hour, Senior Minister Mian Abdul Waheed informed the House that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had announced a Danish University in Muzaffarabad, for which a site was being identified. He added that Danish schools were being established in Sharda (Neelum) and Leepa (Jhelum Valley), while implementation had also begun in Bagh, Bhimber and Kotli.
Minister Chaudhry Rasheed said that, subject to federal approval, classes for the proposed university could initially be started at an agriculture academy and a degree college in Garhi Dupatta.
Minister for Communications Sardar Ziaul Qamar said a 30km road project in Bagh’s eastern constituency was pending on technical grounds and would be taken up at the next meeting of the Cabinet Development Committee (CDC). He said delays in PC-1 approval, along with a funding cap of Rs850 million flagged by the Planning and Development Department, had held up the project.
Sardar Mir Akbar, MLA from eastern Bagh who recently joined the PML-N, alleged that development works in his constituency had been halted as victimisation, payments to contractors were stalled and protests had taken place. He warned against being pushed to take extreme steps. The prime minister assured the House that the CDC would clear the project within a week and tenders would be issued.
Responding to a notice by Abdul Majid Khan on the non-provision of development funds to refugee lawmakers, Mr Waheed said the issue had become contentious and was under review by a committee, with consultations ongoing. He said the government would adopt a position after talks concluded and release funds if a consensus emerged, adding that relevant court rulings would also be examined.
On issues relating to health department employees and regularisation of ad hoc staff, he said an agreement had been reached between the prime minister and the health secretary to resolve matters in phases, adding that recommendations would be placed before the cabinet for approval and legislation.
He also said the proposal to establish daycare centres for female employees would be pursued in line with available resources.
The House referred two bills — the Power Development Organisation (Amendment) Ordinance 2026 and the Services Tribunal (Amendment) Act 2026 — to the relevant select committees for further consideration.
Later, the chair prorogued the session sine die.
Tariq Naqash
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