In a candid and wide-ranging conversation, former Prime Minister of Azad Jammu & Kashmir Raja Farooq Haider Khan dissected some of the most pressing challenges facing the region—from the controversial refugee seats in the assembly to the collapse of meritocracy, the pension crisis, and the failure of local governance. Speaking with unusual frankness, he admitted past shortcomings but also painted a bold vision of reform that could have transformed AJK’s future.
For Haider, the message was clear: without merit, justice, and systemic reform, Azad Kashmir risks sinking deeper into political and economic chaos.
Refugee Seats: History and Controversy
Former Prime Minister of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) Raja Farooq Haider opened up about the long-debated 12 refugee seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly. Tracing their origin back to the 1970 Election Ordinance, he explained how these seats were meant to safeguard the political rights of Kashmiri refugees who fled massacres in Jammu.
“Two and a half lakh Muslims were massacred in Jammu. How can we separate those sacrifices from our identity?”
Haider acknowledged that while the seats have historical legitimacy, the conduct of some representatives has disappointed him. He criticized their failure to honor Kashmiri martyrs’ anniversaries, saying:
“They are supposed to be the custodians of those sacrifices—but what do they actually do?”
Quota System vs Meritocracy
Haider strongly opposed the quota system in jobs and education, calling it “un-Islamic and unjust.”
“Why should a student with 91% marks be denied admission, while someone with 60% gets in through quota? What is the fault of the one who worked hard?”
He highlighted how his government introduced NTS (National Testing Service) to ensure transparent, merit-based recruitment in education and other departments. Emotional stories of young candidates reflected the human cost of corruption.
“One boy told me his mother worked as a laborer so he could keep studying. He cried when he finally got recruited on merit. But his sorrow was that his mother wasn’t alive to see it.”
The Pension Time Bomb
Another pressing issue Haider raised was the rapidly growing pension burden.
“Within ten years, all of AJK’s budget will go into pensions. We won’t be able to spend even a single rupee on health, education, or development.”
He warned that unchecked recruitment and poor planning have created a system where future generations will bear the cost.
Local Government: Powerless and Ineffective
Haider was also critical of the local government system in Azad Kashmir, which he described as existing “only in name.”
“The chairman of a union council doesn’t even have a peon or guard. He can impose a fine of 250 rupees—what authority is that when you can’t even buy a chicken for 250 today?”
He argued that reforms should come before elections, giving councils financial powers and real authority over local issues like traffic, health, and primary education.
Education, Jobs, and Economic Reform
The former PM emphasized that traditional degrees like M.A. Urdu or Political Science have little future, and urged a shift toward technical and professional education.
“University education should be for those who deserve it. For others, technical diplomas, nursing, and engineering can open doors—even abroad.”
He revealed that his government had planned to teach students foreign languages like Arabic, Spanish, and French to expand overseas job opportunities, with a one-billion-rupee fund allocated for this purpose.
On the economy, he pressed for investment in tourism, small hydropower, and local industries to reduce dependence on WAPDA and create revenue for health and education.
Rejecting Populism and Elite Narratives
Haider also pushed back against simplistic populist rhetoric targeting “elites.”
“Even in the time of the Prophet (PBUH), there were elites. The real issue is not class labels—it is corruption, sifarish, and a broken system.”
He criticized those who provoke public anger without offering solutions, comparing it to rubbing salt on people’s wounds.
A Call for Systemic Change
Looking back at his tenure, Haider expressed regret that his reform agenda was cut short after the events of August 5, 2019, when Article 370 was revoked in Indian-Occupied Kashmir.
“If we had been given five years, I swear to you, significant changes would have emerged in Azad Kashmir—changes truly in the interest of the state.”Raja Farooq Haider’s candid remarks shed light on the deep-rooted problems of refugee representation, quota-based recruitment, pensions, weak local governance, and lack of economic planning in AJK. His message was clear: without meritocracy, technical education, and systemic reform, Azad Kashmir risks sinking deeper into crisis.
