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• Says region’s people have right to raise grievances peacefully
• Urges political, not coercive, solution
• Terms attacks on security personnel ‘unacceptable’; says army is ‘our red line’
• Reiterates proposal for Truth and Reconciliation Commission
MUZAFFARABAD: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday warned that prolonged instability in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) could undermine both the Kashmir cause and Pakistan’s international standing at a time of growing regional tensions.
He also reaffirmed that Pakistan would defend its interests against external challenges, including India’s attempts to “weaponise” the Indus waters.
Addressing a three-hour meeting of the party’s candidates and office-bearers ahead of the July 27 AJK elections, Mr Bhutto-Zardari said Pakistan was confronting multiple external challenges simultaneously and called for responsible political conduct at home to deny hostile forces any opportunity to exploit internal divisions.
“The situation in Azad Kashmir is a matter of concern for every Pakistani and every Kashmiri. If it is allowed to persist, it will damage the Kashmir cause and Pakistan’s reputation at a time when international conspiracies are being hatched against the country,” he said.
Referring to India’s stance on the Indus Waters Treaty, he said New Delhi was seeking to “weaponise” the Indus River, but asserted that the entire nation stood united in defending Pakistan’s water rights.
He also praised the armed forces for safeguarding the country’s frontiers and described attacks on security personnel as unacceptable. “Whether it is a politician or a worker, it is not tolerable for us. Our military is our red line. It has safeguarded our borders and recently handed Modi a historic defeat,” he said.
Turning to the recent unrest in AJK, the PPP chairman reiterated his call for a political rather than coercive solution, describing the loss of lives during the protests as “a national tragedy”.
He said the people of AJK had every right to raise their political, economic and constitutional grievances peacefully, adding that neither peaceful protesters should resort to violence nor should peaceful citizens be indiscriminately branded as anti-state or foreign agents merely for demanding their rights.
Mr Bhutto-Zardari said allegations of violence against either protesters or law enforcement personnel should be investigated impartially and in accordance with the law.
The PPP chairman also responded to a July 14 letter from the JAAC and reiterated his proposal to establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission with the consent of all stakeholders.
He suggested the commission be mandated to establish the facts surrounding the current crisis, examine the grievances of all parties, review the outstanding political, legal and administrative issues, and recommend a “just and lasting way forward”.
He disclosed that he had discussed the proposal with Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who, according to him, had assured him that it would be taken up with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
On the constitutional future of AJK, Mr Bhutto-Zardari said only the Kashmiri people had the right to determine their political future. He pledged that, if elected, the PPP government would convene a constitutional convention after the elections to examine legislative measures to grant the territory greater constitutional and administrative rights without compromising Pakistan’s longstanding position on the Kashmir dispute. “If the people desire more rights, the way forward is through legislation,” he said.
He also proposed greater participation of AJK in Pakistan’s constitutional framework, saying his party would support efforts to secure representation for Kashmiris in national institutions such as the National Finance Commission, the Council of Common Interests, the National Assembly and the Senate, should the people of AJK favour such arrangements.
Referring to the refugee constituencies, he said their representation could be protected while also ensuring that political decisions affecting AJK reflected the will of the territory’s residents.
The PPP chairman said his party’s vision for AJK centred on “the right to rule, the right to ownership and the right to employment”.
He said the region’s natural resources, including its rivers and mountains, belonged to its people and should contribute to their prosperity, while stressing the need to create greater employment opportunities for the youth.
Mr Bhutto-Zardari also criticised what he described as the “apolitical handling” of the recent unrest, saying inappropriate statements by some federal ministers had aggravated the crisis, though he maintained that the issues should ultimately be resolved through dialogue.
Turning to the election campaign, he dismissed suggestions that the prevailing situation would hamper the PPP’s prospects.
“Some believed the PPP would not be able to campaign in Azad Kashmir. They have been proved wrong,” he said, expressing confidence that his party would form the next government.
Earlier, former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, former federal minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, acting AJK PPP president Chaudhry Latif Akbar, regional PPP president Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin, former AJK minister Sardar Qamaruz Zaman and AJK Prime Minister’s spokesperson Shaukat Javed also addressed the meeting.
Mr Bhutto-Zardari arrived in Muzaffarabad on Tuesday on a three-day electioneering visit. Following his arrival, he held his first organisational meeting with the party’s candidates from Muzaffarabad and Mirpur divisions and senior office-bearers. He is scheduled to leave the AJK capital on Thursday.
The party also finalised its campaign schedule, announcing public meetings in Dadyal on July 17, Kotli on July 19, Mirpur on July 23 and Muzaffarabad on July 24.
Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2026
