Muzaffarabad: Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Member of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly (AJKLA) Amir Abdul Ghaffar Lone has claimed that he spent from his pocket nearly one hundred percent more than the development funds allocated to him for development projects in his constituency, LA-40 (Valley-I).
Lone said that over the past decade he has spent Rs 26 crore on development work while the total funds released by the AJK Local Government Department and Rural Development during that period amounted to Rs 14 crore. 'The extra Rs 10 crore that I spent from my own pocket reflects my association with my voters whom I treat like my family,' he said.
Lone highlighted the historical allocations for Kashmiri refugees MLAs in Pakistan. From 2001 to 2006, each Kashmiri refugees MLA received Rs 2 lakh annually, while before 2001 they received Rs 1.9 lakh for dowry assistance and an equal amount for financial aid to poor families. Between 2016 and 2021 the allocation increased from Rs 45 lakh to Rs 3 crore, and in 2021 it was further enhanced to Rs 5 crore, he added.
According to Lone funds were primarily used for constructing streets, sewerage lines, installing streetlights, solar panels setting up water pumps and solar-powered filtration plants.
He said a transparent mechanism was in place and project proposals required mandatory forms and verification. To oversee execution, 20 project committees comprising around 60 members were formed. Funds for each project were transferred directly to the head of the respective committee who supervised implementation.
Officials from the AJK Local Government Department and Rural Development (AJKLG and RD) he added, regularly conducted surveys and inspections and released funds only after verifying progress and completion.
Responding to allegations of financial irregularities raised by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) Lone said he welcomed scrutiny. 'If someone can prove corruption in any of these projects even the JAAC I am ready to face it,' he said.
He challenged JAAC members and accused them of spreading lies against refugee MLAs particularly against Karachi and Quetta constituency and before leveling allegations JAAC must visit Karachi and Quetta and inspect the development work on the ground.
Lone said he has been doing export business since 1998 and used personal income to support voters. He said that his wife a prominent businesswoman is a partner in a home-textile export firm supplying to the United States. She received a best export trophy from the Prime Minister of Pakistan, he added.
'In 2016 alone, I paid Rs 14 crore 50 lakh in income tax,' he said.
He noted that until 2007 each refugee constituency received only Rs 50 lakh in development funds. He said that his father Abdul Gaffar Lone who migrated from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir IIOJK in 1947 when he was 16 years old and had contested elections from 1975 to 1991 and was elected by Kashmiri refugees voters not reached in AJKLA on the bases of any party support. Our family's support is only our voters.
Lone said he first contested elections as an independent candidate in 2001 and won with thumping majority. Following the death of my father I remained inactive from politics. I had also served as a Special Assistant to the Sindh Chief Minister from October 2022 to July 2024.
Kashmiri refugee households in my constituency are scattered across several Karachi localities, including Raees Amrohi Colony, Orangi Town, One-D, Landhi, Mehmoodabad and Manzoor Colony. He claimed to be responsible for more than 1,500 families and over 8,000 voters.
'If the AJK government wants to freeze the development funds of 12 refugees seats in Pakistan let them do that,' Lone said. 'But I cannot abandon my 8,000 voters from their basic needs to education, health and housing.'