Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Thursday that the reforms could be introduced through parliament and urged all the political parties affected by election rigging to join hands with him.
Addressing the electoral rally in Muzaffarabad, the former foreign minister said that the free and fair elections should be held in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), adding that the federal government would face no difficulty if transparent polls were conducted.
He said that he was extending his hand towards serious politicians and workers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), asking the party to leave the politics of boycott and take part in the political process.
Bhutto-Zardari warned that if rigging took place, those responsible would face consequences, while justice would bring justice in return. He said that the PPP workers had faced General Zia-ul-Haq and General Pervez Musharraf, adding that his party had dedicated workers.
The PPP chairman said if his mandate was stolen, he would stand against those responsible, adding that any theft of the public mandate would begin the federal government’s countdown.
Bhutto-Zardari said the PPP knew how to protect its mandate and rejected selected elections, Form-47 elections, fake elections and vote theft. He questioned whether national interest or the political interests of the PML-N were more important for Pakistan and AJK.
He called on the state institutions, including the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), to decide whether national interest or the party interests should come first. He also asked the AJK's electoral watchdog to restore its reputation.
The PPP chairman demanded that election records, ballot accounts and polling investigations be presented before the public before August 2. He questioned why there was urgency in issuing notifications while justice was delayed.
He alleged that evidence of rigging in the Mirpur Division had been presented to the Azad Kashmir Election Commission and asked whether the election commissioner served the people of Azad Kashmir or the interests of the PML-N.
Bilawal said that if people wanted peace and reconciliation in Kashmir, they should vote for the arrow symbol on August 2.
Bhutto-Zardari said that he wanted to secure the right of self-determination for the people of Kashmir.
The former foreign minister said that the Kashmiri refugees should have representation in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly.
He said Kashmiri refugees living in Pakistan also faced problems and those issues would not be resolved if their votes were stolen.
لائیو: پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی کا آزاد جموں و کشمیر کی انتخابی مہم کے سلسلے میں یونیورسٹی کالج گراونڈ، مظفر آباد میں جلسہ عام
— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) July 30, 2026
Bhutto-Zardari said that the Kashmiri refugees should also have representation in the provincial assemblies of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said the Neelum-Jhelum project supplied electricity to Pakistan, while Muzaffarabad had the right to receive clean drinking water.
The PPP chairman said that Muzaffarabad also had the right to the protection of its rivers and environment. Bhutto-Zardari said that Kashmir had the right to receive a fair financial share of its natural resources.
He said young people in Kashmir should receive employment from development projects carried out in the region.
Bhutto-Zardari said that the public would be presented with a full account of the dues linked to the Neelum-Jhelum project and all other projects involving Kashmir's resources.
The PPP chairman said that he also wanted Kashmiri refugees to receive property rights, adding that the property rights remained an issue for refugees in both Azad Kashmir and Pakistan.
