• Bilawal urges political parties to help restore AJK peace.
• Adds violent protests, anti-state narratives unacceptable.
• Refugees’ voting rights can be protected: PPP chairman.

Expressing concerns over violent protests in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday demanded a high-powered commission to launch an investigation according to the state laws.

Addressing the PPP leadership and ticket holders in Muzaffarabad, Bilawal said the situation in AJK was a matter of concern not only for Kashmiris but for every Pakistani.

His remarks came amid a surge in violence linked to ongoing sit-ins and protests in parts of AJK ahead of the July 27 elections for the region’s 53-member Legislative Assembly.

The AJK government on June 5 declared the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) a proscribed organisation under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), saying the group was engaged in terrorism.

The ban was imposed days ahead of the banned outfit’s planned June 9 protest seeking the abolition of 12 seats in the AJK reserved for refugees from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) who migrated to Pakistan after 1947.

Bilawal called for the formation of a commission with full powers to investigate recent developments and said law enforcement agencies should conduct inquiries strictly in accordance with state laws.

The PPP chairman said politicians in Pakistan and AJK, as well as those involved in protests, should carefully reflect on their conduct.

He stressed that everyone must choose their words responsibly during the current circumstances and urged all political parties to play their role to establish peace in the region.

Bilawal said Pakistani armed forces were a red line for his party and warned that any rhetoric directed against them would not be tolerated.

He said any statements emerging from AJK against the Pakistan Army were unacceptable and reiterated that the PPP would never tolerate anti-state narratives.

Referring to the people of Kashmir, Bilawal said his party was deeply hurt whenever offensive language was used against Kashmiris.

He added that no remarks against Kashmiris would be tolerated and stressed that commitments made to the Kashmiri people must be honoured.

The former foreign minister said violent protests and demonstrations could not be permitted under any circumstances. He also said constitutional amendments could not be imposed through sit-ins or at gunpoint and warned against allowing the politics of terrorism to take root in Kashmir.

Bilawal said he had consistently raised the Kashmir cause and the voice of the Kashmiri people. He added that if Kashmiris shed sweat, his party would be prepared to shed blood alongside them.

He maintained that Kashmir would decide its own future and that no one else could make that decision, while adding that the voting rights of refugees could be protected.

He reiterated his desire for a peaceful solution to issues concerning Kashmir and maintained that no individual or group could ever subdue the state.

Speaking on regional developments, Bilawal said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart had been together in Israel before the Iran war.

He also warned that if India moved against the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), the entire nation was prepared to respond, stressing that there would be no compromise on Pakistan’s share of the Indus waters.

The PPP chairman further said that Chief of Defence Staff (CDF) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir’s role in maintaining regional peace and stability was evident to all.

Bilawal responds to JAAC letter

Meanwhile, Bilawal also responded to a letter of the proscribed JAAC, saying that the continuing loss of life in AJK, including the deaths reported yesterday, is a national tragedy.

“Every Kashmiri’s life is precious. The death of a peaceful citizen cannot be treated as an acceptable consequence of political disagreement, just as the life of every police and security official must also be protected.”

In his reply, Bilawal proposed the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission with the consent of all stakeholders to address the ongoing situation in AJK.

The PPP chairman added that the commission should be tasked with formulating recommendations aimed at achieving a fair, peaceful and lasting resolution to the challenges facing the region.

Bilawal said Pakistan’s relationship with the people of Kashmir should be based on consent, dignity, democratic rights and mutual respect, stressing that the immediate priority was to prevent further bloodshed and rebuild public trust through credible and verifiable measures.

He appealed to the JAAC to suspend its proposed long march and sit-ins once an agreement was reached on the formation of the commission.

The PPP chairman also urged the authorities to refrain from taking further measures while the commission carried out its work and awaited its findings and recommendations.