By: Zulfiqar Ali, Shahzeb Afzal, Shujaat Mir (Kashmir Investigation Team)
MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): The 53-member Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly has spent an estimated Rs 878.2 million in the current fiscal year, while about Rs 5 billion has been spent on this institution since 2017.
The Azad Kashmir Assembly secretariat also holds 392 employees, including 121 officers and 271 other staff.
With this number of employees and millions in budget, Is this institution really focusing on public welfare, or has it been limited to protecting the interests of mostly politicians?
In this context, the Kashmir Investigation Team (KIT) analyzed data from 2017 to date to find out how many times the salaries and benefits of politicians and other assembly staff members were increased.
As per the available information, salaries and benefits were increased seven times, and each time, someone benefited, including the Prime Minister, President, Speakers and Deputy Speakers, ministers, and MLAs.
Surprisingly, it was learnt that not only are MLAs given pensions, but former Prime Ministers and former Presidents also get lifetime benefits. Moreover, after their death, these benefits are transferred to their families, which puts an additional burden on the government’s exchequer.
The total population of Azad Kashmir is about 4.4 million, out of which 2.7 million people reside in Azad Kashmir. The region has an unemployment rate of over 14 per cent, and 130,000 families rely on social welfare programs like the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP).
In addition, some 18,000 families are under review for the Azad Kashmir government’s social protection program.
The total revenue of Azad Kashmir in this year’s budget is estimated at Rs 201 billion, of which Rs 96 billion is expected to come from local sources, mostly taxes, and Rs 105 billion from the government of Pakistan as a “variable grant” that is spent on non-developmental expenses.
The main expenditures out of this amount are as follows:
- Rs 132 billion on salaries, allowances, and pensions
- Rs 23.5 billion on flour subsidy
- Rs 21 billion on miscellaneous grants
- Rs 1.34 billion for medicines
All these expenditures total Rs 178 billion, but the budget documents show an estimated revenue of Rs 201 billion, non-development expenditure of Rs 220 billion, and a fiscal deficit of Rs 19 billion.
In addition, the Government of Pakistan has provided the AJK government with a development budget of Rs 28 billion for the current fiscal year, while Rs 108 billion has been allocated for an electricity subsidy.
These figures make it clear that while the common people are facing economic hardship, the privileges of the political elite are continuously increasing.
A detailed review of the increase in salaries and benefits of the President, Prime Minister, former prime minister and Presidents, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Ministers, and Members of the Legislative Assembly since 2017 is as follows:
November 2023: Azad Kashmir increases benefits for former Prime Ministers
On November 30, 2023, the Athe zad Kashmir government quietly increased the benefits of former Prime Ministers just seven months after the formation of a coalition government led by Chaudhry Anwarul Haq.
On December 15, 2023, the AJK government enacted the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Ministers (Salaries, Allowances, and Privileges) (Amendment) Act, 2023.
Under the new law, the former prime ministers were given the facility of a 3000 cc official jeep, driver, one police officer and three policemen for security, and an assistant of B-16 grade.
Furthermore, former prime ministers will have free access to government guesthouses, rest houses, and circuit houses across the country.
Before this new law, former prime ministers had the facility of a 1600 cc to 1800 cc car, a grade 11 clerk, a driver, and a policeman for security. Other benefits included a Rs50,000 house rent and 400 litres of petrol per month.
May 2022: Bill to increase salaries, allowances of assembly members, which was withdrawn
In May 2022, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) introduced a bill in the assembly, which had the support of members of the ruling party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
It proposed to increase the monthly salary of members of the assembly from Rs45,000 to Rs150,000 and to increase the travel and daily allowances from Rs3,000 and Rs1,000 to Rs5,000 and Rs2,000 respectively.
In addition, it was also proposed that members of the assembly be provided with a full staff and furnished office facilities, as well as a personal assistant, driver, peon, and police guard.
In addition, the bill also proposed to increase the house rent for members from Rs 29,000 to Rs 60,000 per month, increase the sumptuary allowances from Rs 10,000 to Rs 30,000 and increase the utility allowances from Rs 6,000 to Rs 30,000.
The bill was withdrawn due to public backlash.
June 2021: Increase in perks for former prime ministers
In June 2021, a few weeks before the general elections, the outgoing assembly of Azad Jammu and Kashmir approved additional perks for the former prime ministers of the region.
As per the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Ministers (Salaries, Allowances, and Perks) (Amendment) Act 2021, former prime ministers were given the facility of a clerk (BS-11), driver, and gunman at the end of their term. Earlier, they had the facility of a driver who also performed the duties of a gunman.
Under this law, the rent of his house was increased from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000, which is equal to the rent of the house of the cabinet members.
Former Prime Ministers and former Presidents of Azad Kashmir are already entitled to get a new official car of 1600 cc – 1800 cc and 400 liters of petrol per month at the end of their term. Members of the Azad Kashmir Assembly also get a monthly pension of Rs 50,000.
Since former Prime Ministers have also been members of the Assembly, they are also entitled to get a monthly pension of Rs 50,000.
June 2017: Increase in perks of President, Speaker, Deputy Speaker
In June 2017, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Assembly approved an increase in the salaries, allowances, and perks of the President, Speaker, and Deputy Speaker.
The President’s salary was increased from Rs 40,000 per month to Rs 200,000 per month, while the sumptuary allowance was increased from Rs 8,000 per month to Rs 50,000 per month. The daily allowance was increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000, and the annual discretionary grant was increased from Rs 500,000 to Rs 1.5 million.
The President was given a one-time equipment or equipment purchase allowance of Rs 40,000 and a monthly dearness allowance of Rs 15,000. In addition, he was also given a full salary as holiday allowance.
The Speaker’s salary was increased from Rs 48,000 per month to Rs 150,000 per month. His allowance was increased from Rs 12,000 per month to Rs 50,000 per month, and his equipment allowance (lump sum) was increased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 30,000.
His daily allowance was increased from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000, and his annual discretionary grant was increased from Rs 500,000 to Rs 1 million.
The Speaker was also given Rs 30,000 per month as dearness allowance and a full salary as holiday allowance.
Similarly, the salary of the Deputy Speaker was increased from Rs 35,000 per month to Rs 100,000, the equipment allowance was increased from Rs 10,000 per month to Rs 25,000.
Their daily allowance was increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000, and the annual discretionary grant was increased from Rs 300,000 to Rs 500,000. The Deputy Speaker was given a full salary as holiday allowance and was also given a monthly dearness allowance of Rs 10,000.
April 2017: Increase in salaries, perks of Prime Minister, ministers
In April 2017, the AJK Assembly approved a law to increase the salaries and allowances of the Prime Minister and ministers by more than 200%.
Under the law, the Prime Minister’s monthly salary, allowance for the purchase of equipment or supplies (one-time), and dearness allowance were increased from Rs 89,000 to Rs 305,000. Their daily allowance was increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000, while their holiday allowance was increased from Rs 39,000 to a full salary.
The Prime Minister’s annual discretionary grant was increased from Rs 300,000 to Rs 10,00,000.
Similarly, the monthly salary, allowance, equipment or equipment purchase allowance (one-time), and dearness allowance of ministers were increased from Rs 55,000 to Rs 155,000.
The daily allowance of ministers was increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000, while their holiday allowance was also increased from Rs 35,000 to a full salary. The annual discretionary grant of ministers was increased from Rs 100,000 to Rs 500,000.
March 2017: Increase in benefits for assembly members
In March 2017, assembly members were given more benefits. Their mileage allowance, additional travel allowances, and house rent were increased. The same allowance was increased for assembly members.
The Azad Kashmir Assembly had increased the pension of former presidents from Rs 30,000 to Rs 75,0000 in 2018. They were provided with a 1600 cc car on the expiry of their term, 400 litres of petrol per month, Rs 55,000 house rent, Rs 5,000 per month for telephone expenses, services of driver and gunman from the Azad Kashmir Police and services of stenographer and orderly from S&GAD.
