MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) chapter of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has accused the coalition government, led by Chaudhry Anwarul Haq, of grossly unequal distribution of public resources, alleging that a single district had been excessively favoured.

“The resources secured for AJK through the 13th constitutional amendment by the PML-N in 2018 have been distributed in a blatantly unjust manner. An enormous amount of Rs7 billion has been allocated to just one district, while the rest have been ignored. I will raise this issue forcefully in the upcoming Legislative Assembly session,” said Shah Ghulam Qadir, PML-N’s regional president, while addressing a public rally in Haveli district.

The gathering was also addressed by party leaders including Senior Vice President Mushtaq Ahmed Minhas, Secretary General Chaudhry Tariq Farooq, Yasin Gulshan, Mohsin Aziz, Malik Zulfiqar Ali, Azeem Bakhsh Chaudhry, Maryam Kashmiri, and others.

Accusing the government of confining development to paperwork, he cited a recent audit report, which he said had “exposed the reality of those who preached honesty to others”.

“Their so-called progress exists only in files, while hollow slogans have inflicted serious damage on the resources of the region,” he added.

The PML-N’s regional president also came down hard on the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), whose cabinet members had criticised the distribution of financial assistance to victims of recent Indian aggression by federal ministers as a politically motivated move.

He defended the federal ministers’ visits to AJK for distributing compensation cheques to families of martyrs and injured civilians, saying the PPP’s opposition to it was unfounded.

Highlighting his party’s solidarity with the military, Mr Qadir said the PML-N was the only political party to have invited federal ministers to the Line of Control (LoC) during wartime to boost troop morale. “We assured the army that wherever they need the public’s support, every PML-N worker will stand beside them.”

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2025