Debate on budget begins in AJK Legislative Assembly.

MUZAFFARABAD -- A senior ruling PTI lawmaker on Monday kicked off debate in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly on the 2022-23 budget as the 20-member combined opposition continued its boycott of proceedings.

Traditionally, debate on the budget is initiated by leader of the opposition, but it was opened by local government and rural development (LG and RD) minister Khawaja Farooq Ahmed, who said the government was persuading the opposition and was hopeful that they would soon end their boycott and take part in the proceedings.

Extending felicitations to Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, finance minister Abdul Majid Khan and planning and development minister Chaudhry Mohammad Rasheed for 'presenting the best budget amidst the most challenging environment,' Mr Ahmed said the PTI government wanted its development budget swelled to Rs45 billion but the federal government not only restricted it to Rs28.5bn but also withheld the last tranche of the current year's development budget.

He regretted that cuts were imposed on Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan because both areas were governed by the PTI.

Minister hopes opposition will participate in proceedings

Mr Ahmed asserted that notwithstanding financial woes, they had sanctioned 20 kilometre long roads at the discretion of each opposition lawmaker and would also follow the Supreme Court's decision regarding provision of funds to them.

He expressed his gratitude to PTI chairman Imran Khan for approving the Mansehra-Muzaffarabad motorway project, including construction of a tunnel at Lohar Galli, in his rule and said it would go a long way in promoting tourism in AJK.

Afterwards, higher education minister Zafar Iqbal, parliamentary secretary for social welfare Taqdees Gillani, PM's special assistant for IT Mohammad Iqbal, revenue minister Chaudhry Akhlaque and electricity minister Chaudhry Arshad also greeted the finance minister for presenting a 'balanced and people...