MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): Uzair Ahmed Ghazali, a leader of the post-1989 Kashmiri refugees, has appealed to the Azad Kashmir government to increase the subsistence allowance and allocate two seats in the Legislative Assembly for the refugees.
In a statement issued to the media, Ghazali expressed concerns about the difficulties faced by the refugees, including providing basic needs, education, medical treatment, and employment opportunities.
He said that approximately 9,500 Kashmiri families, with a total population of 46,000, are currently deprived of basic needs and rights.
Ghazali demanded that the Azad Kashmir government take immediate steps to increase the monthly subsistence allowance of the refugees, allocate two seats in the Legislative Assembly, provide a domicile, and a 6 per cent quota for the refugees.
He further demanded the implementation of the announcement made during the recent budget session to increase the allowance of Kashmir refugees.
The refugees in the base camp of the Kashmir Freedom Movement are struggling to make two meals a day, meet children’s fees, medical treatment, house rent, and other expenses, and their situation is affecting the good name of the state, he added.
Ghazali stated that the Working Committee of the Jammu and Kashmir Refugees has been appealing to the federal government to resolve the problems faced by the refugees.
He said that the Working Committee will continue all democratic, legal, and political efforts to protect and restore all the fundamental, human, political, and social rights of the Kashmiri refugees of 1989 in the independent part of the state.
