MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): Chairman Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday directly joined the party consultations on the upcoming general elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) as he chaired a meeting of the party officials and ticket holders to devise future strategy.
Bilawal chaired the meeting of authorities, party officials, and ticket holders in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
PPP AJK leadership
According to the party sources, former Prime Minister of Pakistan Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, AJK Acting President Chaudhry Latif Akbar, PPP AJK President Chaudhry Yasin, Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, Senior Minister Mian Waheed and others were present on the occasion.
Party leaders briefed Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari regarding the party election campaign in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
“We are running a vigorous election campaign throughout Azad Jammu and Kashmir,” PPP leaders briefed Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
They said PPP candidates are running effective election campaigns in every constituency of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. “From Bhimber to Taobat, only Pakistan Peoples’ Party is visible in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.”
Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari while addressing the meeting participants said that Pakistan Peoples’ Party has stood with the people of Kashmir in every era. “Before coming to Azad Kashmir, I spoke with the Deputy Prime Minister regarding the resolution of supply and provision issues for the people here.”
“History has taught us that we do not achieve rights through extremist attitudes, we must achieve rights while remaining within the system,” Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said.
He condemned the actions of political parties boycotting the electoral process, adding Azad Kashmir is free in its name but practically runs on grants.
He said Azad Jammu and Kashmir was accountable to a ministry in the federal government and not to its own Prime Minister. “Political parties must think about how we are to fulfill the hopes of the youth of Azad Kashmir.”
He said the new generation of Azad Kashmir is not satisfied with the status quo; they cannot be kept on the old pay. “I want there to be interim representation for Azad Kashmir in the National Assembly, even if as an observer,” Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari demanded.
If there was a representative of Azad Kashmir at the NFC forum, they would raise their voice for the people here, Bilawal added.
Bilawal said he doesn’t want to see MQM and Altaf Hussain-style politics in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
