Bilawal Targets AJK Majority as PPP Steps Up Election Campaign

Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari intensified his party’s campaign for the July 27 Azad Jammu and Kashmir elections on Sunday, telling supporters at a public gathering in Kotli that the PPP was aiming to secure a governing majority. His remarks placed the contest firmly in the national political spotlight as parties entered the final phase of campaigning across the region.

Bilawal urged voters to deliver stronger electoral results than those achieved by the PPP in the previous AJK polls. He argued that the political environment had changed significantly, noting that his party now held power in the regional administration while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz-led coalition governed at the federal level.

The PPP chairman said the party needed to maximise its performance in Kotli to reach the number of seats required to form the next government. His emphasis on winning every available constituency in the district reflected Kotli’s importance in the PPP’s wider electoral calculations and its effort to consolidate support in an area where several prominent party candidates are competing.

Bilawal also defended PPP candidate Javed Iqbal Budhanvi, criticising the registration of a murder case against him during the campaign. Without directly identifying those he blamed, Bilawal alleged that legal pressure was being used because political rivals feared the candidate’s electoral strength. He maintained that police cases would not intimidate PPP nominees or weaken their campaign.

Addressing the broader political atmosphere, Bilawal objected to what he described as attempts to portray Kashmiri political figures and citizens as criminals or security threats. He contrasted that approach with Pakistan’s rejection of Indian narratives against Kashmiri Muslims, arguing that political competition inside AJK should not rely on accusations that deepen mistrust or damage public confidence.

The PPP has already announced nominees for 35 of the 45 directly contested seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly. Decisions on eight constituencies were initially withheld, while two seats were allocated to the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl under an electoral understanding. The alliance provides for JUI-F support to PPP candidates in other constituencies and gives both parties a coordinated platform against their main rivals.

Bilawal began his active AJK campaign earlier in the week with promises to represent the region’s residents before the federal government and on international forums. He has also advocated political dialogue over confrontation, greater institutional empowerment for AJK and a process through which residents could propose constitutional and governance reforms after the election.

The election carries significance beyond control of the regional assembly. Its outcome will test the PPP’s ability to convert its existing role in the AJK administration into a fresh public mandate, while also measuring the organisational strength of rival parties amid shifting alliances, candidate disputes and continuing debate over relations between Muzaffarabad and Islamabad.

For Pakistan’s national political landscape, a PPP victory could strengthen Bilawal’s influence within the governing coalition and expand his party’s presence outside Sindh. A fragmented verdict, however, could lead to prolonged negotiations among parties and independents. Campaigning is expected to intensify before July 27, with Kotli and other closely contested districts likely to determine whether the PPP can secure the majority Bilawal is seeking.