Kicking off his election campaign in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday promised to be the voice of the people of AJK in the Centre and globally by bridging the “gap” between the federal capital and the people.

Addressing the rally, the PPP chairman said: “We have seen both good and bad times in AJK, but I have not witnessed the conditions that I am seeing today.”

He termed the prevailing situation a “test” for the AJK government, the state of Pakistan and all political parties.

“It is the primary duty of a politician to be the voice of the people in the Centre and on international forums, but they are not fulfilling their responsibilities,” he said, adding that “politicians have to act as a bridge between the people of AJK and the Centre, but this is not happening.”

He emphasised that this was not an issue limited to AJK; Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan were facing the same fate.

“If the people of AJK give me the mandate, I promise that I will be your voice in Islamabad and globally,” Bilawal said.

He stressed that there was “no issue that cannot be resolved politically and peacefully”, and affirmed his commitment to resolving the AJK issue.

The PPP chairman further said that he had proposed the formation of a truth and reconciliation commission to address the AJK issue.

“If this is acceptable to the government and the protesters in AJK, then this can be a way to resolve our issues.”

He also urged the protesters to halt their demonstrations and the government to refrain from taking further measures until the proposed truth and reconciliation commission was formed and completed its work.

However, the PPP chairman clarified that neither the government nor the protesters had responded to his proposal.

“If this is not the way, I ask the government and protesters to tell me what the alternative is,” he said.

“Protesting is the right of the people, but protests that disrupt the supply of food, fuel and medicine do not affect the government; only the people bear the burden,” the PPP chairman stated.

Bilawal acknowledged that it was the government’s responsibility to establish its writ; however, he also questioned its response.

“The government is not punishing the protesters; it is punishing all Kashmiris.”

The PPP chairman urged the government to arrest the “terrorist who had committed terrorism or the robber who had committed robbery”, questioning why it was punishing those who had not committed any such acts.

“It is our demand from both the government and the protesters to spare some space so that ordinary residents of Kashmir do not face any difficulties,” said the Bhutto scion.

“If the state of Pakistan can establish peace between America and Iran, if the state of Pakistan can reopen the Strait of Hormuz, then it is my demand that our Kashmir has been shut; open it,” the PPP chairman stated.

Turning to the upcoming election in AJK, the PPP chairman said that it was the “most important election in the history of AJK”.

He said that the right to self-ownership, the right to self-government and the right to employment were part of the PPP’s manifesto.

“There are two regions in Pakistan that are considered underdeveloped but critical, and they have been waiting to become part of Pakistan for generations — GB and AJK,” he added.

The PPP chairman further said that his party would never let the Kashmir cause be harmed at the international level; however, he added that it would continue to try to grant maximum rights to the people of these two regions without compromising the cause.

“We have decided that after the elections, constitutional conventions will be called and we will give an opportunity to all people to express what they propose for reforms,” Bilawal said, adding, “Whatever rights you want, only you can say; only Kashmir can decide for Kashmir; no other country can do this.”

He also promised to ensure the representation of the people of Kashmir in legislative forums, either with observer status or on a provisional basis.

“I opposed the Ministry of Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan; instead, there should be complete empowerment,” the PPP chairman said.

The AJK Election Commission had announced that general elections in the region would be held on July 27.

Meanwhile, the PPP had announced candidates for 35 of the 45 seats of AJK Legislative Assembly, while withholding decisions on eight constituencies and allocating two seats to its electoral ally, the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) (JUI-F).

On June 30, the PPP and JUI-F also decided to contest the forthcoming general elections in AJK jointly.