MIRPUR (AJK), Jul 24 (APP):Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq said on Wednesday that every citizen in the state should realize the fact that no state could sustain or be able to function without due levies including income tax.
“Demanding fulfilment of rights and privileges is indeed a constitutional right of every citizen but paying taxes to the state on their earnings is also their first and foremost responsibility”, he said this while addressing swearing-in ceremony of District Bar Association in Kotli.
“If citizen refuses to pay taxes on their earnings then how will this system work”, he questioned .
The prime minister said that fulfilling every demand of the masses was not an easy job, adding “It needs a huge budget and abundant resources”. The government had a budget of Rs 220 billion which included a deficit budget of Rs 31 billion, he pointed out.
Regarding the supply of clean and safe drinking water to the Kotli city, the prime minister said that steps were being taken to solve the water problem in the city. He said that it had been decided to expand capacity of beds in DHQ Kotli to 200 beds.
He said that the government was considering the reduction of property taxes. The prime minister said that revenue could be generated through investment in hydro-power and tourism sectors, adding that it was only possible when there was peace and stability in the region.
Chudhary Anwar ul Haq reiterated his government’s commitment to establish merit and rule of law in the state. He said that NTS had been made the system transparent for job seekers.
He said that those involved in corruption in Kotli water supply scheme would face accountability, adding that quota for district Kotli would be re-evaluated. The prime minster said that tax money was being spent on the welfare of the masses, adding that no society could survive without accountability.
The PM on the occasion, announced a grant of Rs 5 million for the district bar. Anwar ul Haq assuring the journalist community of his government’s full support said that the problems of the community would be addressed on priority basis. Earlier, Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq administered oath to the newly elected office bearers of the bar association.
AJK ministers including Colonel (Retd) Waqar Ahmad Noor, Minister for Rehabilitation Javed Iqbal Badhanvi, Minister for Higher Education Zafar Iqbal Malik, Minister for Public Health Dr Nisar Ansar Abdali, Director of Information Raja Shahid Hussain Khokhar, and others were present on the occasion.
