'Our military is our red line', says Bilawal

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday declared that “our military is our red line,” warning that attacks on Pakistan’s armed forces were unacceptable, while proposing the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to resolve the escalating political crisis in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

Addressing party leaders and election ticket holders in Muzaffarabad, Bilawal said the commission should be constituted with the agreement of the federal government, the AJK government and protesters.

He said it should investigate recent events, examine grievances of all sides, review legal and administrative issues and recommend a “just and lasting” political settlement.

He appealed to protesters to suspend sit-ins and long marches once agreement is reached on establishing the commission, while urging the authorities to refrain from further coercive measures during the process.

Bilawal said he had discussed the proposal with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who assured him he would consult Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif before responding.

The PPP chairman described the recent deaths in AJK as a “national tragedy” and extended condolences to the bereaved families.

He said every Kashmiri life was precious and stressed that peaceful protesters should not be branded as terrorists or foreign agents merely for demanding their rights.

At the same time, he said allegations of violence against either protesters or law enforcement personnel should be investigated impartially and in accordance with the law.

Bilawal argued that the current confrontation could not be resolved through force or inflammatory rhetoric, saying previous agreements and competing claims should be examined through an independent mechanism rather than political accusations.

Referring to the broader political situation, he said the crisis had been aggravated by what he called “apolitical handling” and inappropriate statements by federal ministers, although he acknowledged that underlying structural issues also needed to be addressed.

The PPP chief reiterated his party’s longstanding support for the Kashmir cause, saying Pakistan’s position on Jammu and Kashmir remained legitimate and should not be undermined by internal political divisions.

He also called for responsible political discourse, warning that hostile foreign actors could exploit domestic instability.

“Our choice of words needs to be responsible, and we should do politics in a manner which leaves no space for the enemies of Pakistan to exploit,” he said.

Bilawal further proposed that, after elections in AJK, a constitutional convention should be convened to consider legislative reforms aimed at expanding the rights of the region’s people without compromising Pakistan’s position on the Kashmir dispute.

He maintained that the future of Kashmir should be decided by Kashmiris themselves and said the PPP’s agenda centred on greater political rights, ownership of local resources and employment opportunities for the people of AJK.

The PPP chairman also expressed confidence that his party would actively contest the upcoming elections in Azad Kashmir and said he would remain in the region to campaign alongside party workers.