ISLAMABAD: Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that the prevailing unrest in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) is providing an opportunity for the hostile elements to exploit the situation.
In a statement on Sunday, he said that the ongoing unrest in AJK was damaging both the Kashmir cause and Pakistan’s reputation.
“The political grievances and differences must be resolved through democratic, constitutional and peaceful means,” Bilawal said.
He demanded that the AJK Election Commission withdraw the elections’ schedule forthwith.
The PPP chairman appealed to all protesters to end their demonstrations peacefully.
There could be no compromise on maintaining rule of law, he said.
Relatedly, the PPP AJK chapter demanded that the AJK Election Commission immediately withdraw the elections schedule for 12 refugee seats.
“The twelve refugee seats are not more valuable than human lives,” PPP AJK President Chaudhry Yasin told a press conference here on Sunday.
He was flanked by senior party leaders from AJK.
“Elections are not more important than human lives. Hasty and ill-conceived decisions have brought us to this point,” he said.
He was referring to widespread protests in AJK on the call of the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) over their demand to abolish the 12 refugee seats in AJK Legislative Assembly.
Reportedly, dozens of protestors have lost their lives in clashes with security forces.
“In the existing situation, the Election Commission should withdraw the polls’ schedule immediately—consultation needs to be followed— instead of confrontation,” he said.
Yasin said that hostile forces, particularly India, can try to take advantage of the situation.
Announcing to hold elections on the refugee seats under the existing circumstances is not an appropriate decision, he said.
Yasin said that the AJK is facing a shortage of essential commodities.
The mounting challenges in AJK need to be addressed through consultations, he said, adding that the PPP believes in democratic values and supports consideration of the public’s peaceful demands.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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