PPP’s past AJK win stolen under PTI govt’s influence: Bilawal

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday announced that his party is now in a position to form the next government in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), reaffirming that the PPP has always believed in political and democratic solutions to the longstanding Kashmir issue.

Addressing a press conference at Zardari House, Bilawal said the PPP’s victory in the previous AJK elections was “stolen despite the party’s strong performance under adverse conditions,” claiming that the polls were held under the PTI government’s influence with establishment pressure evident. He maintained that non-political forces and interference had damaged the cause of Kashmir both domestically and internationally, creating a leadership vacuum in the region.

“I promise the people of Kashmir that I will not let you down,” Bilawal declared, vowing that “the announcement of the new Prime Minister will be made from Kashmir, not from Islamabad.” The remark drew attention as he initially ended his press talk without naming the party’s nominee for the prime minister’s slot, but returned to the podium to make the pointed statement.

Bilawal, who chaired a detailed meeting of the PPP AJK parliamentary group earlier in the day to discuss the current political scenario and strategy for government formation, refrained from revealing when a no-confidence motion would be moved against incumbent AJK Prime Minister Anwarul Haq or who the party’s nominee for prime minister would be, keeping observers guessing.

The PPP chairman pledged that the party’s upcoming government in AJK would remain accessible, accountable, and service-oriented, asserting: “If we fail to serve the people, the responsibility will rest with Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.”

Recalling the party’s historical connection to the cause of Kashmir, Bilawal said that the PPP’s foundation was built upon the struggle for the rights of Kashmiris, with three generations of the Bhutto family — from Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to Benazir Bhutto — having raised their voice for the Kashmiri people at both national and international forums. “The PPP has always represented the aspirations of the people of Kashmir,” he asserted.

The meeting at Zardari House was attended by PPP’s central women wing president Faryal Talpur, former Prime Minister and National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf, and key AJK leaders including Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin, Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, Chaudhry Latif Akbar, Sardar Javed Ayub, Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan, Mian Abdul Waheed, and others.

Representatives from AJK briefed Bilawal on public issues, political developments, and organisational matters, while participants discussed strategies to strengthen the party’s grassroots network and enhance coordination within the region. On October 25, during a meeting chaired by President Asif Ali Zardari, the PPP had formally announced its plan to form the government in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, signalling a new phase of political engagement in the region.