Muzaffarabad: Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Chaudhry Anwarul Haq distributed cheques worth five lakh rupees to post-1990s Kashmiri migrant families as the first instalment for the construction of their homes, as reported on October 10.
As per details, the cheque distribution ceremony, held at the Prime Minister’s House, was attended by key government figures, including Senior Minister Col. (Retd) Waqar Ahmed Noor, Minister for Rehabilitation Javed Iqbal Badhanvi, Minister for Information Pir Muhammad Mazhar Saeed Shah, Minister for Education Diwan Ali Khan Chaghtai, Minister for Power Development Organization Chaudhry Muhammad Rashid, and Chief Secretary Dawood Muhammad Barich. A large gathering of migrant families was also present.
In his address, Prime Minister Haq stressed that this housing project is a crucial part of the government’s efforts to alleviate the sense of deprivation among migrant families who were displaced from their homes. He encouraged the migrants to consider themselves first-class citizens of Azad Kashmir, highlighting the state’s embrace of these families as integral members of society.
PM Haq assured that the government has continued its developmental projects, emphasising that transparency remains a cornerstone of his administration. “We are accountable both to Allah and to the law,” he said. The Prime Minister also noted that several long-stalled projects had been revived, including the construction of permanent homes for migrant families. He further mentioned that the first phase of the housing project will be completed within three months, with the second installment to follow soon after.
He urged the migrant families to ensure that the funds are used exclusively for housing construction, adding that the government would monitor the process closely. The Prime Minister also praised the Department of Rehabilitation for its ongoing efforts to assist displaced families. Rehabilitation Minister Javed Iqbal Badhanvi expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Haq, assuring that transparency would be maintained throughout the construction process.
This cheque distribution is part of the government’s broader plan to construct 750 permanent houses for post-1990s refugees, aimed at providing them with long-term settlement solutions. According to the scheme, each household will receive PKR 38 lakh in six installments for house construction. In the first year, 375 houses will be built, followed by another 375 in the second year, with a total project cost of PKR 3,096.050 million. Earlier, Prime Minister Haq was briefed in detail on the progress of the housing project.
