Muzaffarabad (Kashmir English): To facilitate new constituency delimitation and sectoral planning ahead of the general elections next year, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly unanimously urged the federal government to give AJK the 2023 digital census data on Thursday.
The AJK Legislative Assembly has passed a unanimous resolution, urging the federal government to release the census data and digital report of the 2023 census to AJK, terming it as a prerequisite for constituency delimitation and sectoral planning in the run-up to next year’s general elections.
The resolution was moved by former Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir and PML-N leader Raja Farooq Haider. It laid emphasis on the census process in order to get accurate electoral boundaries as well as effective development planning for areas like education, health, transport, and employment.
Raja Farooq Haider said that in May 2023, for the first time, Pakistan did a digital census of the whole country, and it covered four provinces, AJK, and Gilgit-Baltistan. The census depicted a massive growth in population in comparison to that of 2017. Nevertheless, AJK has not got its report that is required for redrawing the constituencies because of the changed demographics.
Other resolutions were also passed and discussed.
In another resolution, the Assembly demanded the formulation of a comprehensive strategy to combat climate change. Raja Haider referred to the fact that Pakistan ranked among the top 10 most vulnerable countries with respect to climate change, with AJK experiencing similar challenges in view of geographical and environmental conditions.
He gave the example of the drought going on in that region; the disturbances caused by climate change are going on in this region. Minister for Power Development Chaudhry Rasheed admitted the increasing crisis, such as the water shortage caused by insufficient rain. He told parliamentarians that a special task force had been formed to assess climate threats and suggest countermoves.
“We need a clear and actionable policy, and all Assembly members should contribute their suggestions to the task force,” he stated.
A third resolution, also tabled by Raja Haider, was related to the plight of post-1989 refugees from occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He said the present subsistence allowance being received by them is not enough, and a decent increase should be made so they could live life with dignity.
He further demanded the government to consider permanent resettlement of these refugees and said Islamabad’s commitment toward resolving refugee issues should be responded by the AJK government in cooperation.
Minister Rasheed supported this demand and proposed a fresh census of Kashmiri refugees in Pakistan. He also presented the idea of allocating a separate Assembly seat to post-1989 migrants to ensure their representation.
Food Minister Chaudhry Mohammad Akbar Ibrahim told the Assembly that the AJK government is finalising a PC-1 for conducting a census of refugees in Pakistan under the AJK Rehabilitation Department. PC-1 is a form used to plan and budget public development projects in Pakistan.
PML-N’s Chaudhry Ismail also supported the call, pointing out that voter numbers in his Punjab constituency were declining, which he attributed to issues with refugee registration. He urged the AJK government to collaborate with Nadra to ensure that refugees receive identity cards reflecting their status as Jammu and Kashmir refugees.
PTI’s Hafiz Hamid Raza endorsed the resolution, stressing that accurate refugee registration was crucial for any potential future referendum.
Government response towards releasing the census data
Summing up the debate, AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq assured lawmakers that the government had prioritised forest conservation as a key measure to combat climate change and drought. However, he admitted that the challenges required immediate action, and the newly formed task force would submit its recommendations within two weeks.
He supported Raja Haider’s demand for the release of census data. He also realised its importance for electoral and development planning purposes.
Additionaly, the President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry, has issued a formal statement declaring Saturday, 8th February 2025 as the day of mourning throughout the territory concerning the death of His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan.
