WEB DESK: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday said the country’s governance system had failed and demanded free, fair and transparent elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), alleging that the recent electoral process had been marred by rigging.
Addressing a political rally in Bagh district of AJK, Bilawal described the situation in the region as the clearest example of systemic failure and pledged to reclaim what he called the party’s “stolen” seats.
“I promise the people of Azad Kashmir that I will get the stolen seats back,” he said, adding that every crisis had a solution if addressed through democratic means.
Bilawal said the PPP wanted peace to be restored in AJK so that people could return to normal life. He criticised the government for, according to him, neither ensuring transparent elections nor forming a commission to investigate the situation.
He alleged that the ruling party had claimed victory in several constituencies before polling and later manipulated election results in Mirpur and Muzaffarabad.
“Eleven seats are still left, and the PML-N will see what happens next,” he said.
The PPP chairman also claimed that attempts to form a government in Muzaffarabad had created political instability in Islamabad.
Referring to recent incidents, Bilawal alleged that the president of Azad Kashmir and an elected member of the National Assembly had been attacked in Muzaffarabad, reiterating that the PPP would continue to stand with the people of Kashmir.
“The people of Kashmir will decide Kashmir’s future,” he said, adding that his party would not accept any election tainted by rigging and would continue contesting polls in line with its manifesto.
Calling for political unity, Bilawal urged the government and political parties to avoid confrontation and instead work towards national consensus.
“This is not the time to fight among ourselves; there is a need for unity and consensus,” he said.
He also alleged that a group within the PML-N was attempting to create divisions between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his coalition partners.
Bilawal said the PPP had no complaints against the prime minister but added that his party was fully capable of playing the role of an effective opposition whenever necessary.
On the issue of administrative reforms, Bilawal expressed support for the creation of new provinces wherever there was public demand and political consensus.
He said consensus already existed in Punjab and the Senate regarding the establishment of new provinces and stressed that the PPP supported decisions based on the will of the people.
The PPP chairman also emphasised dialogue as the only way to resolve political and national disputes.
“All problems can be resolved through dialogue,” he said, expressing concern over the prolonged suspension of internet services in AJK and questioning why residents had remained without internet access for nearly 50 days.
Bilawal pledged that the PPP would continue fighting for the rights of the people of Kashmir, including their rights to ownership and employment.
Referring to Gilgit-Baltistan, he said the regional assembly had unanimously passed a resolution demanding constitutional rights and stressed that the aspirations and rights of the people should be respected.
