Bilawal calls July 27 AJK polls ‘most crucial’, urges dialogue to resolve Kashmir crisis

MIRPUR, Jul 17 (APP): Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday described the July 27 Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) general elections as the most significant in the region’s history, saying the prevailing situation posed a critical test for both the State of Kashmir and Pakistan. Addressing a public rally in Dadyal, Mirpur district, he said the polls offered an opportunity for the people of AJK to empower the PPP to represent their aspirations at the regional, national and international levels. Drawing on the legacy of former prime ministers Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto, Bilawal said the party remained committed to giving voice to marginalized communities and strengthening the link between the people of Kashmir and Islamabad.

Bilawal called for a political solution to the ongoing tensions in AJK, reiterating his proposal for the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to address the grievances of both the state and protesters. He urged demonstrators to suspend their protest once such a commission was formed and appealed to the government to halt coercive measures until its findings were presented. Stressing that peaceful protest was a democratic right, he said actions that disrupted the supply of food, fuel and medicines, or prolonged the suspension of internet services, ultimately harmed ordinary Kashmiris. He urged both sides to provide immediate relief to the public while pursuing dialogue.

The PPP chairman pledged to advance the constitutional and political rights of the people of AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan, saying his party would organize constitutional conventions in both regions after the elections to gather stakeholders’ views on future reforms. He advocated greater empowerment for AJK, including enhanced representation in national institutions, and proposed abolishing the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs in favor of greater autonomy for the elected AJK government. Bilawal also reaffirmed the PPP’s commitment to the principles of the “right to rule, right to ownership and right to employment,” arguing that the people of Kashmir should have greater control over their resources and political future.

Bilawal also took aim at political opponents, accusing some federal leaders of undermining Kashmir’s identity and questioning statements that, he said, excluded Mirpur, Kotli and Rawalakot from the region. He urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to clarify whether remarks made by members of the federal cabinet reflected the government’s official position on Kashmir. Reaffirming the PPP’s longstanding support for the Kashmir cause, Bilawal called on voters to participate in large numbers on July 27 and back the party’s candidate, Afsar Shahid, saying only the people of Kashmir had the right to determine their future.