Islamabad: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has clarified his recent remarks, saying that when he referred to the "state," he was not referring to the establishment but to state institutions acting in the national interest.
Speaking on ARY News' program "The Eleventh Hour," Bilawal said the PPP stands with the government on every decision taken in the national interest. He added that, given the current regional situation, all political forces should demonstrate unity on matters of national importance.
The PPP chairman also raised serious concerns over the Azad Jammu and Kashmir elections, alleging that one of his party workers was killed and a National Assembly seat was "stolen." He claimed that around 30 polling stations in the constituency of PPP candidate Chaudhry Yasin were allegedly occupied, with polling agents being forcibly removed to influence the voting process. He said the party would pursue all legal avenues to reclaim its seats.
Bilawal further alleged that attempts were made to manipulate election results in Mirpur, following similar incidents in Gilgit-Baltistan. He vowed not to tolerate any effort to "steal" seats and promised to seek justice for candidates who were treated unfairly.
He also proposed the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to address the ongoing situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. According to Bilawal, anyone who has taken the law into their own hands should face legal action. He said he had urged both the protesters and the government to exercise restraint, but regretted that neither side responded positively to his proposal.
Commenting on statements made by federal ministers, Bilawal said the allegations were "serious" and warned that if they were not based on facts, they could harm both the Kashmir cause and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
He added that he has always focused on political issues rather than personal attacks, criticizing what he described as the "authoritarian mindset" of the PML-N. Bilawal said he would continue to practice positive politics and challenged his opponents to identify any instance where he had resorted to personal attacks.
