Bilawal Bhutto Confident of Forming Government in AJK

Sardar Israr

Islamabad: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday expressed confidence that his party is poised to form the next government in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), following a surge in its parliamentary strength and an impending no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Bilawal said the PPP had earned the trust of AJK legislators and the people, pledging that the party would “serve Kashmir with sincerity and deliver on its promises.”

“I promise the people of Kashmir that I will not disappoint you,” he said. “A political solution exists for every problem of Kashmir — and finding such solutions has always been the PPP’s identity.”

Bilawal emphasized that the PPP’s foundation was built on the Kashmir cause, noting that three generations of the Bhutto family had championed it. “Our prime minister and assembly members will remain accessible to the people. If they fail to serve, the responsibility will rest with Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari,” he remarked.

Rejecting the notion that decisions about AJK’s leadership would be made from Islamabad, Bilawal asserted, “The name of the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir will be announced from Kashmir, not the capital.”

The PPP chairman recalled that despite “challenging circumstances” during the last AJK elections — when Imran Khan’s government was in power — the PPP had performed strongly. “Our victory was turned into defeat overnight,” he said, blaming “non-political decision-making” for creating a leadership vacuum that damaged the Kashmir cause.

The PPP currently holds 27 seats in the 53-member assembly, after ten PTI lawmakers joined its ranks earlier this week, giving the party a simple majority to form the government.

Bilawal said the remaining term of the assembly would be a test of the PPP’s governance. “We will work to meet the expectations of the people and strengthen democracy in Kashmir,” he stated.

The PPP and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have jointly prepared a no-confidence motion against the AJK government, with both President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif endorsing the plan. The PPP is expected to announce its nominee for the new AJK premier soon.

Meanwhile, AJK Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq has reportedly decided to face the no-confidence vote instead of stepping down.

Bilawal reaffirmed the PPP’s resolve to protect the Kashmir cause at both national and international levels, saying the party “remains the only political force capable of representing the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.”