MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly on Tuesday passed a bill to regularise all temporary and ad hoc employees from Grade BS-1 to Grade BS-17.
The assembly session, chaired by Speaker AJK Legislative Assembly Chaudhry Muhammad Latif Akbar, was attended by both the government and the opposition members. Law Minister Mian Abdul Waheed presented the bill titled: “The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Regularisation of Services of the Ad-hoc or Temporary Employees Basic Pay Scale 1 to 17 Ordinance 2026”, which was subsequently approved.
The opposition staged a walkout and protest over a call attention notice, however, they were invited back and rejoined the session after being given assurances.
AJK Premier Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore congratulated the parliamentary party and employees on the approval of the bill for the regularisation of temporary and contractual employees.
Later, after the conclusion of the assembly session, he also addressed the employees and extended his congratulations to them.
Rathore said that during its seven months in power, the current government had taken steps for the welfare of the people and resolution of employees’ issues. “Legislation has been enacted in good faith and on humanitarian grounds for the regularisation of ad hoc, temporary, and contract employees,” he said, adding: “This session of the Legislative Assembly is of great significance for thousands of ad hoc, temporary, and contract employees of the state who are rendering their services for the state.”
The AJK PM said he had listened to the problems of these employees who were confident that the government would address their grievances. “It is also a fact that these ad hoc, temporary, and contract employees do not belong to Pakistan Peoples Party but these are the employees who have spent most of their lives in service of the state, and the PPP government has given these employees their right, for which I congratulate the parliamentary party as well as the employees,” he added.
