Awami Action Committee criticises local budget over 'irregularities', terms it "anti-people"

Najaf Ali held a press conference in Skardu City to address pressing concerns faced by the people of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB).

The Awami Action Committee also criticised the leasing of land to the Green Tourism Company. Ali raised the issue of government rest houses and acres of forest land in PoGB being leased to private companies in the Punjab Province and termed it "Green Terrorism."

"This is now the biggest issue for the people of PoGB. It is not about 'Green Tourism' anymore; it is a form of 'Green Terrorism', as it is just another measure to capture more of PoGB's lands and resources. If the administration really wants the betterment of PoGB's people, then, they must give us free electricity, free drinking water, and proper education. As we are capable enough to take care of our land and its tourism. We know our land better than any outsider who poses as our benefactor."

Further, Ali questioned the recently passed budget of PoGB and said, the budget has been widely criticised by financial experts and political parties as being anti-public, so how it has been passed.

"Several financial experts, even political parties, have called this budget anti-people. Then how is it being passed in PoGB, Please someone clarify this," Ali said.

"If the members of the assembly rate this budget as anti-people, then how it is being passed, and who is responsible for passing it? It is quite clear now that the entire money allocated in the budget is being spent on the luxuries of these top government officials, and just a small portion of the money is being spent for the betterment of the people."

Ali further demanded that the money allocated by Islamabad to PoGB be divided into two halves, in which only one half must be allotted to the government for its operations and the rest must be spent on the betterment of the people," he added.

Highlighting the issues relating to the business community of the PoGB, he said "The government still has unpaid bills of private vendors worth millions. It is high time that the government pays them so they don't face losses. The same is the case with several government-run PoGB schemes. Money is just allotted on paper, but no action can be traced on the ground."

"Several developmental projects still await developmental work, our bridges await construction, our roads await repair and our people await welfare. So the people who are involved in this delay must be punished," he added. (ANI)