Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday said no one sitting in Islamabad has the authority to decide who is Kashmiri, calling for political dialogue, constitutional reforms and an empowered commission to address the situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
Addressing PPP office-bearers and ticket holders in Muzaffarabad, Bilawal said inappropriate statements had worsened the crisis in AJK and stressed that issues concerning Kashmir should be resolved through consultation with the people of the region.
"I am in favour of resolving the issues of Kashmiris by sitting in Azad Kashmir. No one sitting in Islamabad has the right to decide who is Kashmiri and who is not," he said.
The PPP chairman said reforms were needed to safeguard the economic, administrative and political rights of the people of AJK, adding that a constitutional convention could be convened after the upcoming AJK elections.
He also called for a decision regarding the region's reserves and reiterated that constitutional amendments could not be imposed through force.
"No constitutional amendment can be made at gunpoint or through coercion," Bilawal said.
Referring to recent unrest in AJK, Bilawal condemned violence in all forms while affirming that peaceful protest is a constitutional right.
He expressed grief over the martyrdom of security personnel and urged law enforcement agencies to investigate incidents strictly in accordance with the law.
The PPP chairman proposed the formation of an independent commission with full powers to investigate the recent developments in Kashmir and called on all political parties to play a constructive role.
Bilawal urged political leaders to exercise caution in their public statements, saying rhetoric that benefits Pakistan's adversaries should be avoided.
"We should not use words that benefit the enemy. No one can blackmail the state of Pakistan," he said.
He also stressed the need to resolve Kashmir-related issues through dialogue and a middle path.
Reaffirming his party's support for Pakistan's armed forces, Bilawal said the military remained a "red line" for the PPP.
"If someone speaks against the Pakistan Army, it will not be accepted under any circumstances. Pakistan's forces are our red line," he said.
Bilawal praised Field Marshal Asim Munir's leadership, saying the world had recognised Pakistan's role in promoting peace and acknowledged the military leadership's strategic vision.
He also reiterated Pakistan's stance on the Indus waters dispute, saying the country would not compromise on its water rights.
"We will not compromise on the waters of the Indus," he said.
The PPP chairman further claimed the international community had become aware of what he described as the role of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Israeli leadership in escalating regional tensions involving Iran.
Concluding his address, Bilawal reaffirmed the PPP's longstanding commitment to the Kashmir cause.
"We belong to the party that taught us that where the sweat of Kashmiris falls, our blood will fall. Our struggle for the people of Kashmir will continue," he said.
