Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, addressing a massive public rally in Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, said that he had come before the people to present his dream for the future of Kashmir. He said that he wanted the Valley of Kashmir to be transformed into the paradise of Benazir. He envisioned a peaceful and just Kashmir, where every inhabitant enjoys the same rights as the rest of Pakistan.
Chairman Bilawal said that he wanted Kashmir to have the right to governance, the right to ownership and the right to employment. Only the people of Kashmir will decide their future, he said. If the people wished to see these dreams realised, they must stamp the symbol of the arrow on 2 August.
He said that the right to governance means that Kashmir is represented only by those whom the people have elected. Election results should be decided by the ballot, not the bullet. Votes should be counted during elections, not fallen bodies. Polling agents should not be thrown out, nor should the robbery of votes be concealed behind any notification. The right to governance means that only the elected Assembly and government of Kashmir should govern it. Kashmir should have representation in Pakistan’s institutions where decisions regarding its water, electricity, economy and budget are taken. Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto secured Observer Status for Kashmir in the OIC, and her son will secure similar representation for Kashmir in the NFC, CCI, the National Assembly and the Senate of Pakistan, Chairman PPP resolved.
Chairman Bilawal announced that, following the elections, the PPP would convene a constitutional convention comprising the government, the opposition, refugee representatives, lawyers, youngsters, women and members of civil society. The people of Kashmir themselves would determine their constitutional future. He said that refugee brothers and sisters are an inseparable part of Kashmir’s history and identity, and that their rights and rightful representation must be protected. He added that refugees, too, deserve the rights to governance and ownership. Refugee representatives in the AJK Assembly should have proportional representation, as they have issues that deserve to be addressed. If their votes are robbed or remain in someone’s “pocket”, those issues will continue unresolved. He further called for refugee representation in the provincial assemblies of Pakistan.
Chairman Bilawal said that the right to ownership means that the people of Kashmir should be the rightful owners of the mountains, rivers and natural resources of their land. Pakistan benefits from the waters of the Neelum and Jhelum rivers, and therefore the people of Muzaffarabad have the right to clean water and the protection of their rivers. Kashmir deserves a fair share of the wealth generated from its resources and should also have a rightful share in the employment created through these projects. Chairman Bilawal said that the PPP would present before the people a full account of the project dues and rightful share of the resources. He added that the PPP’s refugee candidate contesting from Sialkot had also raised the demand for ownership rights. Once refugee representatives are elected to the Punjab Assembly, they too will raise their voices to secure these rights.
Chairman Bilawal said that the right to employment means that the people of Kashmir should be given the first opportunity in employment generated within their own region. This includes local empowerment, apprenticeships, opportunities in tourism and participation in the digital economy for Kashmir’s youth. The internet is not merely social media, he said, but also a classroom for students, an office for freelancers and a bank for small vendors. He said that the PPP had restored internet services in Mirpur and Muzaffarabad and now wished to do the same for Poonch. However, the struggle does not end there, as the PPP also wants high-speed internet for the youth of Kashmir so that they remain connected with the world.
Chairman Bilawal said that PML-N leaders had promised to provide buses for Kashmir. “We welcome every bus, road, school and hospital,” he said. “But the people of Muzaffarabad ask them what they have actually done for this city.” He referred to the CMH flyover project, a 200-foot project initiated in 2020 by the PML-N that remains incomplete to this day. In contrast, he said, PPP candidate Chaudhary Latif Akbar oversaw the construction of the 1,500-foot-long Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Bridge for Muzaffarabad. The PPP had also established medical colleges and universities across Kashmir. He added that Kashmir needed not only buses but also rights and authority. “We do not want to turn Kashmir into Punjab or Sindh. We want to build a stronger Kashmir with the cooperation of Pakistan,” he said.
Chairman Bilawal said that the people of Kashmir have endured immense hardship. They have lost lives, mourned loved ones, and witnessed disruptions to roads, businesses, education and employment. Therefore, he said, the foremost priority should be reopening roads and restoring internet and banking services. Essential supplies must be ensured, while schools and universities should be reopened without delay. He added that the proposal for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission is no longer merely Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s proposal, as the AJK Assembly has passed a resolution in its favour today. The Assembly called upon both the protestors and the Government of Pakistan to establish the Commission. He urged the protestors to suspend their protests and accept the Commission, while also calling upon the federal government to do the same so that normal life could be restored for the people of Kashmir.
Chairman Bilawal urged the people of Muzaffarabad to stamp the symbol of the arrow on 2 August if they wanted peace and justice through this Commission. He said that the right to governance remains incomplete without protecting the sanctity of the vote. The PPP had submitted video evidence of rigging in Mirpur before the Election Commission. However, it is unfortunate that the notification had been issued. “Our question to the Chief Election Commissioner is whether he serves Raiwind or the State of AJK. If there was such urgency in issuing the notification, why is there no urgency in delivering justice?” he asked. “A notification cannot turn a wrong into a right, nor can it conceal the robbery of votes.”
Chairman Bilawal demanded that all complaints relating to the first phase of the elections be heard through an open hearing before 2 August. Polling station results, ballot counts, polling material and election records should all be presented before the public. “If no robbery has taken place, then what are they afraid of?” he asked. He said that the Election Commission must restore its credibility. State institutions such as the Election Commission, must decide whether they prioritise the personal political interests of the PML-N or the national interest. He added that twelve seats were already being described as being in someone’s “pocket”, while elections in Rawalakot could not even be held because of the protests. “Do they now want PPP workers to stage protests in Mirpur and Muzaffarabad as well?” he asked.
“We know how to protect our mandate, and we will do so,” Chairman Bilawal declared. He said that the PML-N had turned these elections into a matter of life and death simply to retain power. They believed that defeat in Kashmir after the defeat in Gilgit Baltistan would mark the beginning of their downfall. “That is a misconception,” he said. “If they hold free and fair elections in AJK, their government will face no problem. But if they rob the people’s votes, then that will truly mark the beginning of their downfall.” Chairman Bilawal warned that the PPP would challenge them if its mandate was stolen. “We are the Pakistan Peoples Party. We have stood up to dictators from Zia to Musharraf. Our jiyalas are experts at hunting the lion,” he said.
Chairman Bilawal also addressed the PTI, urging it to begin participating in politics rather than boycotting political platforms. “Instead of staying away, they should engage in politics,” he said. He extended a hand towards PTI workers and serious politicians, inviting all political parties and workers who were tired of election rigging to unite in the struggle for a free and fair electoral environment. Chairman Bilawal instructed PPP workers to convince the people that the only effective way to defeat rigging was to come out in overwhelming numbers and render any attempts at manipulation futile. He concluded by saluting the public, especially the women and jiyalas, for standing in the rain.
Chairman Bilawal beckoned the people to vote for the PPP’s candidates, Mian Abdul Waheed from LA-25 and LA-26, Javed Ayub from LA-27, Bazil Naqvi from LA-28, Sardar Mukhtar Abbasi from LA-29, Mubashir Awan from LA-30, Chaudhary Latif Akbar from LA-31, Sahibzada Ashfaq Zafar from LA-32 and Dewan Ali Chughtai from LA-33. He added that those who believed the refugee seats were already in their “pockets” should receive a clear response from refugee brothers and sisters across Pakistan through their votes for the symbol of the arrow.