MUZAFFARABAD: While the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government finds itself in financial woes to meet its day-to-day expenditures, a six- member delegation of AJK Legislative Assembly is planning a week-long visit to USA and Canada.
It has been learnt that the visit will cost Rs10 million to the exchequer. A daily allowance of 15 to 20 per cent will also be given to each visiting member from taxpayers’ money.
According to a notification, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, said that the six-member team included Chairman Public Accounts Committee Sardar Abib, Deputy Speaker Shaheen Kausar Dar, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) members Dr Najeeb Naqi, Chaudhry Ismail, All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference (MC) member Mir Akbar and Secretary AJK Assembly Chaudhry Basharat.
According to the notification, the purpose of the visit on part of the members is to observe and study the parliamentary system of the USA and Canada. Besides this, the visiting members will meet the Kashmiri community living in both the countries, the notification said.
The State Bank of Pakistan has recently refused to entertain cheques more than Rs25 million of different AJK government departments and private companies owing to a run up overdraft.
Parliamentary leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in the AJK Assembly and Minister for Transport Tahir Khokhar termed the expected visit unjustified saying on the one hand the government has no money to arrange medicines to patients in public sector hospitals and on the other hand, it has given its assent to arrange such an expensive and undesirable visit.http://tribune.com.pk/story/571064/what-financial-crunch-ajk-legislators-team-to-visit-us-canada/
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