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July 17, 2026

Bilawal said the state had a legitimate position and could not be blackmailed into surrendering, but felt the grievances raised by protesters also needed to be addressed – Photo Wikipedia

Bilawal Proposes Truth and Reconciliation Commissions for AJK 

Muzaffarabad: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday described the current situation in AJK as "a national tragedy" and proposed the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to help resolve the ongoing political crisis in the region.

"I propose the establishment of an independent commission of all the parties concerned. The commission should be given a sufficiently broad mandate to examine the present situation, establish the relevant facts, consider the grievances and positions of all sides, review the outstanding political, legal, and administrative issues, and recommend a fair and durable way forward," said Bilawal while addressing PPP office-bearers and election candidates in Muzaffarabad.

He warned against the current status quo in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and said it would damage both the Kashmir cause and Pakistan's international reputation, urging all stakeholders to pursue a political solution to the crisis.

"The situation in Azad Kashmir over the past month has been deeply worrying. Every Kashmiri is worried, and every Pakistani is worried," he said. "The longer this continues, the greater the damage to the Kashmir cause and to Pakistan's reputation."

Bilawal said every death reported was "a national tragedy" and extended his condolences to the families of those killed.

He stressed that "every allegation should be investigated diligently, impartially and according to due process", warning that "continued confrontation can only result in further loss and inflammatory accusations."

Calling for restraint, Bilawal said: "I appeal to the protesters to pause further protests, sit-ins, and long marches if this proposal is acceptable to the Government of Pakistan, the AJK government, and the protesters."

He said he had discussed the proposal with Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who had assured him he would raise it with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Bilawal added that politics should be conducted responsibly so that no enemy of Pakistan could exploit the country's internal issues.

He also reiterated his support for dialogue, saying the state had a legitimate position that it could not be blackmailed into surrendering, but the grievances raised by protesters also needed to be addressed. "We still want a middle ground. We want a peaceful, political solution to all outstanding issues," he said.

Referring to criticism of Pakistan's military, Bilawal said: "If anyone speaks against Pakistan, the army or our armed forces, whether from Kashmir or elsewhere in Pakistan, we cannot tolerate it." "Our armed forces are our red line."

Turning to broader constitutional questions, Bilawal proposed convening an AJK constitutional convention after the elections to consider governance reforms.

"The people of Kashmir should decide whether further constitutional, political, administrative, and economic reforms are needed," he said. "The decision about Kashmir must be made by Kashmiris, not by Islamabad or any other city."

Addressing the contentious issue of the 12 reserved seats for Kashmiri refugees in the AJK Legislative Assembly, Bilawal said: "No constitutional amendment can be imposed through guns or sit-ins."

"If the issue is the 12 reserved seats, then let the people decide. If they want to keep them, keep them; if they want reforms, discuss reforms. But the representation of refugees must be protected," he added. - The Express Tribune

 

Courtesy The Express Tribune

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