MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) cabinet on Tuesday decided to grant voting rights to overseas Kashmiris by doing the requisite legislation at the earliest.

The cabinet meeting, presided over by Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi, also accorded approval to an amended law aimed at establishing a special fund for the welfare of widows and orphans.

The cabinet was of the view that taking care of the destitute would help reduce social evils and other crimes.

In order to collect data of deserving persons who could benefit from the Ehsaas Programme, the cabinet decided to follow the process adopted in Pakistan for the purpose.

The cabinet further decided to enforce a one-dish system in wedding ceremonies and other social gatherings in addition to disallowing any function, including a wedding ceremony, beyond 10pm.

It also decided to enforce net metering — a billing mechanism — to credit the owners of solar energy systems for the electricity they add to the grid stations.

A ministerial committee briefed the meeting on progress made to date on compilation of recommendations about the amendments to accountability act. The committee was asked by the cabinet to accomplish its task before the next session.

According to an official handout, Prime Minister Niazi maintained that across-the-board accountability was the foremost priority of his government. However, he vowed that the accountability process would be made transparent and practicable and no one would be victimised or humiliated in the name of answerability. The cabinet also constituted a committee for effective pursuing of pending cases in different courts of law.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2021