MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq on Monday distributed the first instalment of cheques to 184 post1989 Kashmiri migrant families for the construction of concrete houses.

The move is part of a broader government initiative aimed at improving the living conditions of refugees who fled Indian-occupied Kashmir due to the unending repression.

The cheque distribution ceremony was held at the multi-purpose hall of the newly-constructed Prime Minister House, which has recently been handed over to the technical education and vocational training authority (Tevta).

Senior Member Board of Revenue (SMBR) Zaheeruddin Qureshi informed the ceremony that the AJK government had secured Rs3.096 billion for the construction of 750 houses for the migrant families.

The first instalment, amounting to Rs500,000 per family, was disbursed to 184 families who had been allotted 1,250 square feet plots in Thotha Satellite Town.

Each household will receive a total of Rs3.88 million, paid in sixinstalments over six months, to complete construction, Mr Qureshi added.

He further said government departments concerned would identify and acquire land and carry out town planning for the remaining 566 houses.

`The refugees will build their homes under the `owner-driven model` based on the government`s spe cifications, which will be monitored by the relevant agencies.

The release of the second instalment will only follow once the first phase of construction is complete,` Mr Qureshi said.

Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Haq said the migrants who had taken refuge in Azad Kashmir to escape the brutal Indian repression should not see themselves as refugees but as `first-class citizens` on this side of the Line of Control.

Acknowledging the fiscal challenges faced by the government, including the provision of subsidised flour and electricity, the prime minister assured the gathering that the development process would continue unabated.

`The greatest asset of this government over the past 17 or so months has been its commitment to transparency, which will only strengthen moving forward,` he asserted.

PM Haq also credited hisadministration for reviving dormant projects, the construction of permanent housing for refugees being among them.

He urged the recipients to ensure timely construction in line with official specifications to qualify for the next instalment of funds.

The prime minister also commended the Rehabilitation Department for its efforts in looking after the migrant population and expressed optimism that the government, with the help of federal authorities, would address theissue offunding shortages.

Earlier, Minister for Rehabilitation Javed Iqbal Budhanvialsoaddressed the gathering, during which he highlighted the sacrifices and hardships endured by the refugees.

`Their welfare is the responsibility of the AJK government, and we are committed to fulfilling that duty to their satisfaction,` he said.

According to the AJK Rehabilitation Department officials, approximately 8,601 migrant families are currently residing in around 18 camps across AJK. Each migrant is entitled to a monthly subsistence allowance of Rs3,500, resulting in a monthly expenditure of Rs158.147 million by the government for their support.