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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday declared that his party is in a strong position to form the next government in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), where the incumbent prime minister is facing an imminent no-confidence motion. Addressing a press conference alongside senior PPP leaders in Islamabad, Bilawal refrained from revealing the party’s nominee for the prime minister’s slot. He remained tight-lipped about his party’s candidate for the prime minister’s slot. “Don’t worry, that announcement will be made from Kashmir, not Islamabad,” quipped the former foreign minister when asked about the name of the candidate. The PPP chairman reaffirmed his party’s long-standing commitment to the Kashmir cause, saying that the PPP had consistently championed the rights of the Kashmiri people on both domestic and international fronts. “For three generations, the PPP has fought for Kashmir’s cause across the world,” Bilawal said, recalling that during his tenure as foreign minister, he had highlighted the issue globally and countered India’s narrative after the May war. Bilawal claimed that despite facing a wide range of challenges, the PPP had won the AJK elections when the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was ruling the centre. “Despite the manipulation, the PPP never abandoned the people of Kashmir, and continued to represent them at every platform,” he asserted. While expressing confidence in his party’s ability to take charge of the government, Bilawal noted that the remaining term of the AJK Legislative Assembly “will be a test for the PPP,” adding that his party was ready to deliver effective governance if given the opportunity. Bilawal said, “It will be a test for the PPP in the next nine months — the remaining period of the Azad Kashmir Assembly. The people will place their trust in the PPP by giving us the mandate to form the government. We will address their problems and fulfil the demands of the people of Kashmir. I will be responsible for implementing and meeting their expectations, and I will not disappoint the people of Kashmir.” Earlier, Bilawal chaired a meeting of the PPP Azad Jammu and Kashmir Parliamentary Party at Zardari House, Islamabad. PPP Women’s Wing President Faryal Talpur was also present during the meeting, which focused on the evolving political situation in AJK and discussed public grievances raised by party representatives from the region. Party leaders briefed Bilawal on key issues facing the people of AJK, while discussions also cantered on strengthening the party’s organizational structure and improving internal coordination. Former Prime Minister and ex-Speaker of the National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf, senior PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira, Chaudhry Muhammad Riaz, and Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan also attended the session. Other participants included Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin, Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, Chaudhry Latif Akbar, Sardar Javed Ayub, Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan, Mian Abdul Waheed, Javed Iqbal Bandhanvi, Syed Bazil Naqvi, Sardar Zia Qamar, Chaudhry Qasim Majeed, Chaudhry Aamir Yasin, Aamir Ghaffar Loon, Chaudhry Ali Shan, Javed Butt, Rafiq Nair, Sardar Ahmed Sagheer, and Nabeela Ayub. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
