Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday said that his party has fought against former presidents Zia-ul-Haq, Pervez Musharraf and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and will now send the ‘selected prime minister packing who has sold Kashmir’.
Addressing a rally in Mirpur ahead of AJK general elections on Friday, he said that his party does not make false promises like the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). “We will form a people-friendly government in Azad Kashmir,” he asserted.
Bilawal unleashed a trenchant criticism of PTI and PML-N over what he called taking ‘U-turn’ on Kashmir issue. He said that Kashmiris will not take dictation be it from New Delhi or Bani Gala. “Our Jiyalas [PPP workers] will make them (PML-N and PTI) run away from Kashmir… we’re not like them… we do not take U-turns like these two parties,” he added.
The PPP leader said that the PTI’s policy about Kashmir has been confused from day one. “Imran Khan takes U-turn on Kashmir. First, he says that until the August 5 move is not reversed, we will not talk [with India] but later, he says trade with India is necessary.” He said that the PTI’s policy on Kashmir is confused and therefore such rulers do not deserve to govern either Pakistan or AJK. “Only you can save Kashmir [with your votes] from these puppets,” he added.
He said that Imran Khan was trying to issue an ordinance to give NRO (amnesty) to Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav but the PPP disclosed the scheme. “The PPP will never be a part of any such move,” he maintained.
Bilawal said that he had heard that Imran Khan is giving away money to buy votes in the AJK election. “Don’t they know they cannot buy the vote of honourable Kashmiris? The Kashmiri people are honourable and loyal. They are not for sale,” he added.
Taking aim at former ally the PML-N, he said that the party is also confused. “The PML-N has two narratives. We ask them, ‘are you following the narrative of barre mian sab (Nawaz Sharif) or chote mian sb (Shehbaz Sharif)’ but we don’t get a clear answer. Do you want to give your vote to such a confused party?” he asked the participants.
The PPP chief further said that his party wanted to get rid of Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and Imran Khan but the PML-N did not support them. “We do not invite Modi to our weddings. We believe whosoever is against Kashmiris, we’re against them as well.” He said that the PPP has always maintained that Kashmir’s destiny would be decided only by Kashmiris themselves and to this day, we have continued this policy. “If you want to save Kashmir then vote for teer (arrow – the election symbol of PPP).”
Bilawal said that PML-N’s Vice President Maryam Nawaz is also campaigning in AJK, asking his party workers not to use foul language against her. “We all have to give her respect. No PPP worker will say any bad word about her. We might be against their politics but we should never get personal.” He further said that when Maryam Nawaz was arrested, he was the only one raising his voice for her in the National Assembly.
