Bilawal vows to restore ownership rights in Gilgit-Baltistan

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari pledged on Friday to restore and implement ownership rights in Gilgit-Baltistan if his party forms the regional government following the elections.

Addressing a public gathering, Bhutto-Zardari said he had spent a month in Gilgit-Baltistan during the previous election campaign and visited every tehsil and division of the region. He thanked the people of Gilgit-Baltistan, saying the PPP had secured the highest number of seats according to Form 45 results, but alleged that those seats had later been taken away and the public mandate had been undermined.

Bhutto-Zardari called on voters to safeguard their votes in the forthcoming election and said the PPP would work with the public to protect the democratic process. He added that neither the people of Gilgit-Baltistan nor the PPP would be subjected to injustice.

The former foreign minister said the Muslim world was passing through a difficult period, referring to the situations in Palestine, Gaza, Lebanon and Iran. He said the PPP had maintained a three-generation relationship with the people of Gilgit-Baltistan and would continue to raise the region's voice at both national and international levels.

The PPP chairman credited Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and President Asif Ali Zardari with advancing Pakistan's political, economic and strategic interests. He said the party had consistently struggled for the political, constitutional and governance rights of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Bhutto-Zardari said the PPP wanted to secure the right of self-governance for the people of Gilgit-Baltistan and would continue efforts to bring the region under constitutional protection, including the benefits associated with the 18th Amendment.

Highlighting economic development, he said Gilgit-Baltistan had the potential to become a major driver of Pakistan's economy. He referred to studies indicating that the region could generate up to 50,000 megawatts of electricity and said the PPP would seek to unlock its economic and energy potential.

Bhutto-Zardari said the party would pursue greater economic cooperation with China and work to create new opportunities for Gilgit-Baltistan through investment, trade and digital infrastructure. He added that modern development required digital connectivity alongside traditional infrastructure projects.

He pointed to housing and healthcare initiatives in Sindh, saying the PPP wished to introduce similar projects in Gilgit-Baltistan, including hospitals and programmes aimed at expanding ownership rights.

Referring to the ownership rights legislation, he said the law had already been approved and now required implementation. He warned that if the PPP did not form the government in Gilgit-Baltistan, a future administration could seek to reverse the legislation.

Bhutto-Zardari said the ownership rights law would particularly benefit the districts of Shigar and Skardu before extending to other areas, including Ghanche and Kharmang. Bilawal pledged to ensure that residents across the region received ownership rights to their land.

The PPP chairman said the party was contesting the election to secure the rights of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan rather than for personal interests. He expressed confidence that the PPP would perform strongly across the region and urged voters to grant the party a historic mandate.

Bhutto-Zardari said the PPP remained committed to securing governance rights, economic opportunities and ownership rights for the people of Gilgit-Baltistan and would continue its long-standing struggle for the region's development and prosperity.