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  "path": "/news/2006772/ajk-refugee-seats-cannot-be-abolished-senate-told",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-11T03:25:34.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.dawn.com",
  "tags": [
    "Pakistan",
    "designated",
    "massive rigging",
    "staged"
  ],
  "textContent": "• Sanaullah says 12 reserved seats represent families displaced from held Kashmir\n• Opposition alleges ‘massive rigging’ in GB elections; PTI stages walkout\n• Minister tells lawmakers Rs5.4bn disbursed in fuel subsidy\n• House unanimously passes five bills\n\nISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Wednesday told the Senate that 12 reserved seats for refugees in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly would not be abolished, saying they represented families displaced from India-occupied Kashmir.\n\nResponding to a point raised by the upper house’s opposition leader, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, Sanaullah said the seats could not be abolished through executive orders.\n\nHe added that all political parties in AJK, its parliament and other constitutional for­ums supported retaining refugee representation within the constitutional framework.\n\nThe adviser said the government had accepted 37 of the 38 demands put forward by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).\n\n“The government remained engaged with JAAC for several months,” he said, adding that a written agreement was signed after negotiations on 37 demands.\n\n“The sole outstanding demand concerning refugee seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly involved constitutional and legal complexities,” he told the House.\n\nOn June 5, the AJK government designated JAAC a proscribed organisation under anti-terrorism laws.\n\nSanaullah said JAAC had initially emerged in 2023 with demands relating to electricity tariffs and wheat subsidies.\n\nHe added that the government addressed the committee’s major demands by providing electricity at Rs4 per unit, subsidised wheat and a Rs23 billion relief package for the region. He alleged that certain elements sought to create instability ahead of the upcoming elections in AJK despite repeated offers of dialogue.\n\n“They knew the polls are due before August 4 and gave a call for protest on June 9 back in January,” he said, adding that peace and stability in AJK would be maintained in accordance with the law.\n\n**‘Massive rigging’**\n\nOpposition leader Raja Nasir Abbas alle­ged “massive rigging” in Gilgit-Baltistan’s June 7 general elections, saying the results were “against the wishes of the people”.\n\nHe warned that “rigging weakened public confidence” and said “creating a distance between the people and the system” would have dangerous consequences. He also refer­red to recent unrest in AJK, saying political interference would bring further turbulence.\n\n“The ban on information gives rise to rumours and turbulence,” he said, adding that the people of GB had concerns about the “oc­­cupation of land and minerals by outsiders”.\n\nAfter Deputy Chairman Syedaal Khan Nasar did not allow the opposition leader to continue speaking on the issue, PTI members staged a protest walkout. The deputy chairman said the opposition leader should contact the GB Election Commission if he had complaints.\n\n**Fuel subsidy**\n\nFinance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb told the House that the government would continue efforts to protect low-income groups from higher fuel prices while maintaining economic stability.\n\nResponding to a calling-attention notice by Senator Mohsin Aziz, he said Rs5.4bn had been disbursed so far under a targeted fuel subsidy programme, besides Rs4.61bn in support for small farmers amid rising international fuel prices.\n\nHe said an overall subsidy of Rs129bn was provided after tensions in the Middle East pushed up global oil prices. The government shifted from a general subsidy to a targeted programme for motorcycle owners, public transport users, transport operators and small farmers.\n\nAround 800,000 motorcycle owners had benefited, while financial assistance ranging between Rs35,000 to Rs100,000 was provided to passenger and goods transport vehicle owners.\n\nIn the first phase, Rs3.5bn was distributed among more than 105,000 vehicle owners, while Rs1.9bn was disbursed among over 65,000 beneficiaries in the second phase through a transparent verification system.\n\nThe House unanimously passed five bills: the Motion Pictures (Amendment) Bill, the Travel Agencies (Amendment) Bill, the Pak­istan Tourist Guides (Amendment) Bill, the Pakistan Hotels and Restaurants (Amend­ment) Bill, and the Pakistan International Air­­lines Corporation (Conversion) (Repeal) Bill.\n\n_Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2026_",
  "title": "AJK refugee seats cannot be abolished, Senate told"
}