MIRPUR – Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday urged the state to determine whether its priority was national interest or the political interests of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), alleging that recent decisions had favoured the ruling party over the broader interests of the country.
Addressing a workers’ convention in Muzaffarabad, Bilawal said the PPP remained a pro-federation political force and would continue supporting the state and government whenever national interests were involved. However, he said the party would not assist anyone in protecting the political interests of the PML-N at the expense of the people.
\The PPP chairman expressed concern over the situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, questioning whether the prevailing circumstances could truly be described as democracy. He alleged that incidents of violence, attacks on polling stations, casualties and internet disruptions had raised serious questions about the electoral process. He said the PPP had remained silent in the past only due to considerations of national interest but would continue to raise issues affecting the rights of the people.
Bilawal also congratulated PPP candidates and supporters in Mirpur Division, saying the party had secured a majority according to the people’s mandate. He pledged that the PPP would work to protect every vote and claimed that attempts had been made to undermine the party’s electoral gains through alleged attacks and irregularities at polling stations.
He said the PPP had evidence of alleged attacks on polling stations and claimed that workers were removed from polling locations in different constituencies. Bilawal maintained that the party would neither retreat nor compromise on what he described as the people’s right to have their votes protected and counted.
Discussing unrest and protests in Azad Kashmir, the PPP chairman said political issues should have been resolved through dialogue rather than violence. He reiterated his proposal for establishing a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, saying it could help determine facts, restore peace and prevent further loss of lives without requiring either side to surrender its position.
Bilawal said the upcoming elections in Kashmir must be conducted in a peaceful, transparent and credible environment. He expressed sympathy with families of those killed during recent unrest, including security personnel and protesters, and said justice could not be achieved through violence on the streets.
Calling on PPP workers to continue their campaign, Bilawal urged people to exercise their right to vote despite disappointment and political tensions. He warned that lower voter turnout could create opportunities for manipulation and encouraged citizens to participate in the democratic process.
The PPP chairman announced that his party would hold a rally on July 30 under the slogan “Kashmir Pe Daaka, Na-Manzoor” and vowed that the party’s struggle would continue until, according to him, every disputed vote was restored. He said the PPP remained committed to peaceful politics and democratic values, drawing on the legacy of former party leaders and calling for continued faith in the electoral process.
