Despite political turmoil, AJK govt releases record Rs 7.98 billion funds

ISLAMABAD (Rizwan Abbasi): Despite the ongoing wave of political uncertainty and talks of a no-confidence motion, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government has approved major development schemes under the leadership of Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq.

According to the sources, the AJK Cabinet approved and released record development funds worth over Rs 7.98 billion to various departments in the first half of the fiscal year 2025-26.

Out of the total, Rs 3.721 billion has been earmarked for the payment of outstanding liabilities on ongoing projects.

The Government of Pakistan had earlier provided Rs 9.61 billion for AJK’s annual development program, while the Azad Kashmir Finance Department allocated an additional Rs 3 billion, bringing the total available development funds to Rs 12.61 billion. The overall development budget of Azad Kashmir for the year stands at Rs 40.32 billion.

Among the sectors, the Communication and Works Department received the largest share with Rs 5.70 billion released and an additional Rs 2.46 billion proposed for release soon.

Furthermore, Rs 940 million was released for the Education Department, Rs 322 million for the Health Department, Rs 500 million for Local Government and Rural Development, and Rs 290 million for the Electricity Department.

The Irrigation Department received Rs 25 million, while Rs 94 million was allocated for Governance, Law, and Justice projects.

The AJK government has directed all concerned departments to ensure transparent, timely, and effective utilization of the funds to guarantee completion of projects within stipulated timelines.

The significant release of funds amid a politically charged atmosphere reflects the government’s commitment to sustain development and stability in Azad Kashmir under the leadership of Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq.