MUZAFFARABAD, June 5: Opposition lawmakers in Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly staged a walkout here on Thursday, protesting against the approval of road projects in their constituencies on the recommendations of “non-elected” ruling Muslim Conference leaders and threatened to continue their boycott if their concerns were not addressed.

The issue, which initially appeared to have created misgivings in the ranks of the opposition, came to the fore through a privilege motion tabled by Chaudhry Anwarul Haq of People’s Muslim League wherein he maintained that the government was disregarding the mandate of opposition by denying its rights.

As several other opposition legislators, elected from the constituencies located in Azad Kashmir, shared similar grievance, they also stood up to voice their woes.

However, the chair rejected the privilege motion, compelling the aggrieved opposition to stage a walkout. Three opposition legislators however stayed back to read out their motions but later joined their colleagues at a press conference in the opposition chamber.

Copies of official documents distributed among journalists showed that except for the constituencies of Chaudhry Abdul Majeed and Chaudhry Latif Akbar, president and secretary-general of People’s Party, respectively, the government had approved 50 per cent of the 15-kilometre long roads in the constituencies of the remaining opposition lawmakers on the recommendation of runner-ups, belonging to the ruling party.

However, in the constituencies of treasury members, including those who were initially elected as independents, all the roads were approved purely on the discretion of the MLA concerned.

Reproaching the government, Mr Majeed, at a joint press conference, said approval of roads in his and Mr Akbar’s constituency was an attempt to create rift within the opposition.

He declared that he would not accept the notification of roads about his constituency unless all opposition members were given their due right.

“If the runner-ups were not consulted in the constituencies of treasury MLAs, then why in our constituencies,” he questioned. Demanding that the government either approve all roads on its “sweet will” or entirely on their recommendation, the opposition members announced that otherwise they would boycott the proceedings of house committees, stay away from the current session and also stretch out their boycott to the next (budget) session.

In the absence of opposition, the house however continued its proceedings during which some reports were presented and some resolutions were passed.

UNMARKED GRAVES: Through a resolution, the house expressed grave concern over the recent discovery of thousands of unmarked graves in occupied Kashmir and asked the international community to hold a probe to ascertain the identity of the persons lowered therein.