Kashmiris will not be 'dictated to by a puppet', Bilawal says in Rawalakot

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Sunday said that the people of Kashmir "will not be dictated to by a puppet".

His remarks came during a campaign rally in Azad Kashmir's Rawalakot, to shore up support ahead of the July 25 elections of the AJK Legislative Assembly.

"We must get this message across to Islamabad that the people of Kashmir will decide their future on their own," Bilawal said, adding that this was PPP's policy.

Hitting out at Prime Minister Imran Khan, Bilawal said that "he promised to the people of Kashmir he would be their ambassador but instead became a lawyer for Kulbhushan".

The PPP chairman, strongly objecting to the passing of The International Court of Justice (Review and Re-consideration) Bill, 2020 in the National Assembly, claimed that the parliament was not taken into confidence before the bill was passed.

"If Imran Khan wishes to give Kulbhushan an NRO, he can go ahead. But PPP will never be your partner in crime," he said to the government.

In further criticism of the government, Bilawal said that the people of Pakistan "are being made to bear the burden of the government's failures and its slogan for 'change'."

He said that whereas occupied Kashmir is ruled by Modi, where Kashmiris are fighting Modi's oppression, the "people of Azad Kashmir are facing Imran Khan's inflation tsunami".

"Imran Khan may remain silent, but the people of Kashmir will not," the PPP chairman said.

"If there is a historic attack on occupied Kashmir, then Imran Khan says what should I do?" Bilawal went on to say, in a barrage of statements condemning the prime minister.

Addressing the premier, he said: "Try asking for votes in the name of an NRO for Kulbhushan and see the response that you get."

Then addressing the crowd, he went on to say: "This cowardly puppet has actually become a security risk."

"The Kashmiri people will send a message on July 25 that they reject the puppet," he said.

He claimed that not only will there be a prime minister in Azad Kashmir from PPP, but the party "will also have a prime ninister in Pakistan".

"Make our jiyala the prime minister and you will first and foremost see an increase in salaries," Bilawal said.

AJK legislative assembly elections

The 11th General Elections of Azad Jammu and Kashmir will be held on July 25, the region's election commission had announced earlier this month.

According to the schedule announced by Chief Election Commissioner retired Justice Abdul Rasheed Sulehria, the nomination papers will be filed by the candidates before the returning officers on or before June 6 up till 4pm while the scrutiny of nomination papers will be conducted the very next day am onwards and the lists of validly nominated candidates will be publicised on the same day.

The last date for filing appeals before the election commission against the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers by returning officers has been fixed for June 27 before 2pm, while the hearing of appeals will be conducted from June 28 to 29, with the decisions announced on June 30 and July 1.