Daily Times

MIRPUR: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto has said that his party would never back off from its historic stance on the issue of disputed Jammu Kashmir.

Addressing a mammoth gathering here in Azad Jammu Kashmir, he said that struggle for the liberation of Jammu Kashmir was the aim of his party. “We want a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue and only a strong Pakistan can support the Kashmiris on every forum,” he said.

He said that talks with opponents could be held on equal terms. “Kashmir elections are around the corner; these (elections) are not ordinary as it will decide future of the disputed state. The whole world is keeping an eye on Kashmir elections because these elections will prove as an important milestone to shape future,” he said.

Bilawal said that if the PML-N won these elections with its old tactics of drama and rigging, it would be as if Kashmiris supported PML-N’s anti-Kashmir and (Indian Prime Minister Narendra) Modi-friendly policies. “Would Kashmiri let this happen? Never,” he said.  He said that Kashmir cause holds no importance for the PML-N.

He also said that his father Asif Ali Zardari had spent the last day of his presidency with Hurriyat leaders at the Kashmir House. “The PPP has supported talks on all forums but people can’t forget that you did not even mention Kashmiris in your Uffa declaration out of your silence. It was an injustice to the Kashmir cause and a conspiracy against Kashmiris.”

The PPP chairman urged people to pray for speedy recovery of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who is in London for treatment. “This rally is taking place at a time when our prime minister is unwell, I appeal to you to say special prayers for him,” he said. “We have no personal differences with anyone nor we resort to personal attacks or criticism,” he said.

“All our efforts are for the betterment of our country and the people. When we find someone working against the aspirations of people, only then we criticise. All that I am going to say today, please do not take it personal,” he said. He recalled that former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had made Pakistan an atomic power. “He (Bhutto) did not want to see Pakistan becoming Nepal, Bhuttan or Sikkim.

“The demand for prime minister’s resignation on one side, but today I demand resignation from the foreign minister as well,” he said while asking about Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz. “Today our state has been drifted towards isolation. We don’t have the same terms with Afghanistan like we had before. Iran is also not happy with us. Where is our autonomy,” he said.

He said drone attacks were being carried out in the settled areas of Balochistan and CPEC projects were being made controversial. “We failed to get F-16s from the US. Our foreign policy is going towards destruction,” he said. He said that other than prime minister’s resignation he had demanded foreign minister’s resignation.

In the name of accountability, reprisal had been conducted against PPP while ministers in Punjab usually got offensive when talked about accountability, Bilawal said. He said that his mother was exiled and her bank accounts had been frozen while his father had been held behind the bars for 11 years without any charges in the name of accountability.