Provinces Will Be Created According to People’s Will, Decisions Made Behind Closed Doors Unacceptable: Bilawal Bhutto
BAGH: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that the creation of new provinces and administrative units must be decided according to the will of the people, stressing that decisions made behind closed doors will not be acceptable.
Addressing an election rally in Bagh, Bilawal said the PPP’s position on the creation of new provinces was clear. “Wherever the people demand change, the PPP will stand with them,” he said.
He said whether the issue concerns Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Punjab or any other part of the country, the people should have the final say and the PPP would respect their decision.
Bilawal said new provinces should not be created on the basis of decisions taken by a few people sitting in a room. Where political consensus exists, progress should be made.
He said there was consensus on the creation of a separate province in South Punjab, while Gilgit-Baltistan should be granted provisional provincial status. He added that the PPP would not become part of any conspiracy and would support the public position and national interest on every issue.
پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی کل بھی عوام کے ساتھ کھڑی تھی، آج بھی عوام کے ساتھ کھڑی ہے، اور آئندہ بھی عوام کے شانہ بشانہ رہے گی۔ ہم ہمیشہ اپنے منشور، اپنے نظریے اور عوام کی خدمت کے جذبے کے ساتھ لوگوں کے پاس جاتے ہیں۔
ان انتخابات میں بھی میں ایک نیا منشور لے کر آپ کے سامنے آیا ہوں؛ ایسا… pic.twitter.com/EjGK0jOvwg
— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) August 7, 2026
Criticism of PML-N Internal Differences
Speaking about federal politics, Bilawal said the real conflict within the PML-N was between Islamabad and Lahore.
He alleged that a particular faction of the PML-N was working to undermine Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s efforts and attempting to create disputes between him and his coalition partners.
However, Bilawal clarified that he did not doubt the prime minister’s intentions, saying that Shehbaz Sharif’s intentions were sincere.
He said some people were talking about a “countdown” for the government, but the PPP had not initiated such a process. According to him, the real problem was internal differences within the PML-N.
Bilawal Calls for Transparent AJK Elections
Bilawal also expressed concern over the situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, saying Kashmir had never witnessed such a difficult period.
He urged protesters to end their protests so that normal life could be restored, saying the current situation was causing concern among Kashmiris.
The PPP chairman also criticised the phased election process in Azad Kashmir, questioning why elections were being held in six phases in the same region.
He argued that voting across Azad Kashmir should have been conducted on the same day and alleged that the phased elections were being held to facilitate rigging. He claimed that the government had already secured 10 seats.
Bilawal called for free and fair elections in Azad Kashmir, saying Kashmiris themselves should decide the future of their region.
He said holding elections in six phases in one region raised serious questions about transparency and alleged that some seats had already been decided.
He further said the Azad Kashmir Assembly had passed a resolution calling for the establishment of a Truth Commission, but alleged that the government was unwilling to establish the commission or hold transparent elections.
Bilawal said if the system had truly collapsed, Kashmiris had suffered the most and their right to vote was being undermined.
He stressed that political problems could only be resolved through dialogue and that, ultimately, the decision of the Kashmiri people would have to be accepted.
Bilawal also rejected the government’s assumption that it would form the next government in Azad Kashmir, saying important constituencies, including Bagh, Palandri and Haveli, were yet to vote.
