Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took a pointed jab at Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari during an election rally held in Mirpur on Friday. He emphasized the distinction between regions by stating, “This is Kashmir, not Kashmore, and this is Mirpur, not Mirpurkhas.”
Addressing the crowd, Nawaz urged Bilawal not to take offense, highlighting that political discourse should involve healthy rivalry rather than hostility. He stressed that politics must focus on competition through democratic means instead of violence.
The former premier expressed a deep connection with Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), describing it as his primary home rather than a secondary one. He criticized the lack of progress in the region since his departure from office, questioning the contributions of his successors. “I want to ask what those who came after me did for AJK,” he remarked.
In a significant development, the elections for the AJK Legislative Assembly are scheduled to take place in three phases, beginning on July 27. The Chief Election Commissioner of AJK, Ghulam Mustafa Mughal, outlined the schedule: Mirpur Division will vote first on July 27, followed by Muzaffarabad Division on August 2, and Poonch Division on August 10.
During his speech, Nawaz presented the PML-N’s election manifesto for AJK and challenged whether any other party had delivered tangible development projects in the region. He pledged that the PML-N would prioritize education for the youth and promised to establish more hospitals specializing in cancer and heart diseases.
He also announced that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was facilitating the introduction of electric buses and ten mobile hospitals for Mirpur. Highlighting further development plans, Nawaz committed to constructing motorways throughout AJK, building an expressway connecting Murree to Muzaffarabad, ensuring gas supply to every household in Mirpur, and lobbying Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for an international airport in the city if the PML-N forms the next government.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, speaking at the rally, expressed strong confidence in the PML-N’s prospects of winning across all divisions in the upcoming AJK elections. She emphasized that the time had come to usher in development for the region, noting that AJK is rich in resources but suffers from inadequate infrastructure.
Maryam highlighted the need for enhanced facilities such as hospitals, metro and electric bus services, ration programs, housing schemes, and the political will to implement these improvements. She assured that the public services currently available in Punjab would be extended to AJK if the PML-N secures victory in the elections.
