Bilawal says failure of system is result of political interference
BAGH, Azad Kashmir: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the country’s system had not failed naturally but had been “made to fail,” arguing that political stability would remain elusive until the authority of the people is recognized.
Addressing a public gathering in Bagh district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Bilawal said the system would continue to face challenges unless political forces accepted that the people are the ultimate source of power.
On the creation of new provinces, the PPP chairman said his party would support such a move if it reflected the will of the public, but would oppose it if it was not based on public demand.
Bilawal claimed that the federal government in Islamabad was facing internal challenges and said a political countdown had begun, adding that it was not started by the PPP but by members within the ruling party.
He said the dispute was not between the PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), alleging that a faction within the PML-N was attempting to create differences between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, opposition groups and coalition partners.
The PPP leader also criticized the situation in Azad Kashmir, alleging attacks on PPP candidates and the region’s president, and said his party would not accept what he described as a rigged and violent election process.
Bilawal said the PML-N was mistaken if it believed it could form a government in Muzaffarabad, accusing authorities of refusing to establish a truth commission or hold transparent elections. He said the situation in Azad Kashmir was an example of the system’s shortcomings.
Referring to the region’s challenges, Bilawal said Kashmir had never faced such difficult circumstances, citing prolonged internet and road closures that had affected businesses and daily life.
He called for resolving all issues through dialogue and welcomed the Azad Kashmir Assembly’s resolution seeking the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission. He urged protesters and authorities to suspend their respective actions until the commission is formed.
Bilawal also criticized the electoral process in Kashmir, saying that if Kashmir is considered one unit, elections should also be held on the same day, adding that multi-phase elections had never previously taken place in the region’s history.