Tariq Fazal Chaudhry

The AJK government has rejected a blanket amnesty for leaders of the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), citing their responsibility for recent violence and deaths. The dispute centers on the JAAC's demand to abolish 12 Legislative Assembly seats reserved for refugees from Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The government offered constitutional avenues for dialogue but accused the JAAC of expanding demands from two to 38 points.

The federal budget for FY2026-27 is set to be presented by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb in Parliament today, featuring new tax measures worth Rs660-700 billion and targeted relief for mid- to upper-income earners. The government aims to expand the tax net through initiatives like the Fixed Tax Asaan Scheme and has reached an agreement with coalition partners to cut expenditures to address a Rs800 billion revenue shortfall.

The government extended an olive branch to the opposition for dialogue on national issues as National Assembly Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai threatened a boycott over unfulfilled promises. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar addressed opposition demands, including the rights of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan, and highlighted constitutional constraints. The opposition criticized government performance and referenced past boycotts, including one lifted to host a Chinese delegation.

President Asif Ali Zardari summoned the National Assembly and Senate sessions for June 10, 2026, to discuss the 2026–27 budget, with the budget expected to be presented on June 12. The sessions were called under Article 54 Clause 1 of the Constitution, and members may face disqualification under Article 63 for abstaining from budget-related votes.

The budget for FY2026-27 is likely to be announced on June 12, with parliamentary sessions scheduled for June 10. Federal and provincial governments remain deadlocked over freezing provincial shares in the federal divisible pool, while the PML-N and PPP have reached a consensus on the budget framework.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry stated that 35 of 38 demands from the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) agreed in October 2025 have been fulfilled. He criticized negative propaganda claiming only three demands were met and emphasized dialogue over violent demonstrations.