The PPP chairman asks govt to hold local government elections across Pakistan, saying that his party is ready for the polls
ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-June 24th, 2026) Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, has warned that the situation in Kashmir has deteriorated and urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to rein in members of his Federal cabinet, saying that certain ministers are creating unnecessary difficulties that could further aggravate the situation.
Speaking in the National Assembly, Bilawal thanked the people of Gilgit-Baltistan for supporting the PPP and expressed appreciation to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for accepting the party’s mandate in the region. He noted that PML-N lawmakers had voted for the PPP’s chief minister and speaker, adding that the PML-N would sit in opposition in Gilgit-Baltistan while the deputy speaker would come from the PML-N.
He also thanked the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM), and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) allies for supporting the PPP in Gilgit-Baltistan. Bilawal said all parties would work together to address the problems faced by the people of the region.
The PPP chairman expressed hope that efforts by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir to promote an Iran–United States peace agreement would succeed. He said the ongoing conflict had imposed an economic burden on Pakistan and that peace would help reduce financial pressures on Pakistani citizens.
Bilawal added that Pakistan-Iran relations were already strong before the conflict but had improved further in recent months. He said that once conditions stabilize, the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project—originally initiated during President Asif Ali Zardari’s tenure—should be completed as a priority.
Referring to political tensions, Bilawal said that the remark about the PML-N “abandoning allies in difficult times and embracing them in easier times” was not made by him but by Pir Pagara. Turning to Kashmir, he said he never wanted to witness the current situation unfolding in the region. He stressed that the state’s policy on Kashmir is clear, while the concerns of the public and protesting groups are well known. He emphasized that all issues should be resolved through political dialogue and reiterated that the PPP has never supported delaying elections in Kashmir.
Bilawal further stated that Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav had come to Pakistan to facilitate terrorism, not for leisure. He said Jadhav’s intentions were well known and accused India and Israel of working together in ways that harm Pakistan’s interests.
According to Bilawal, Pakistan must expose what he described as an India-Israel nexus, adding that Balochistan remains a Primary target of such alleged conspiracies. He claimed that Jadhav had been involved in supporting separatist groups and terrorist elements operating in the province.
The PP chairman also asked the federal governent, and especialy the ruling PML-N to hold local bodies elections in the country. He said that the PML-N has the fear to hold the elections while his party is ready for the polls.
