After Shabaz, Birawal rejected Imran Khan’s proposal to hold a referendum in Kashmir

• The Prime Minister had earlier promised that his government would hold a referendum in AJK.
• He said that PPP has always hoped that the people of Kashmir will decide their destiny.
• Bilawal said that if fair elections are held, the PPP will win the AJK.

The Bharatiya Janata Party Chairman Birawar Bhutto-Zardari rejected Prime Minister Imran Khan’s proposal on Saturday to hold a referendum in Kashmir to decide whether Kashmiris want to live with Pakistan or live as an independent country.

His speech came a few hours after Shahbaz Sharif, the opposition leader of the National Assembly, rejected the prime minister’s proposal.

The PPP chairman said in an interview with the media in Karachi that Prime Minister Imran Khan always “always tried to say the wrong thing to Kashmir”.

“[He] The people of Kashmir are considered fools and traitors. From the beginning, PPP has always believed that the people of Kashmir should decide their destiny. “

When talking about the AJK legislative assembly elections on July 25, the PPP chairman said that if a fair election is held, his party will win.

“Jiyalas has struggled with rigging before and is ready to do so again.”

Shahbaz reacts to PM’s proposal​​

Earlier in the day, Shahbaz Sharif, the opposition leader of the National Assembly, lashed out at the prime minister in a statement, saying that “Imran Khanniyazi’s referendum is deviating from Pakistan’s historical and constitutional position.”

“Except for Pakistan’s historical position on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and UN Security Council resolutions, the whole country refuses to accept anything else,” Shabaz said.

He said that the Prime Minister’s statement “demonstrates the concerns that India has taken on August 5, 2019”.

“The Jammu and Kashmir dispute will be decided by a transparent and independent referendum held under the auspices of the United Nations. This is the position of the people of Pakistan and Kashmir.”

The President of PML-N stated that the solution imposed on them without Kashmir’s consent and negotiation is “it is tantamount to helping India and betraying the cause of Kashmir”.

What did the prime minister say?

At an election rally in Talal Qahar on Friday, the prime minister promised the people of Kashmir that his government will hold a referendum and they can choose to join Pakistan or become an independent country.

“…I want to be clear now that in 1948, the UN Security Council had two resolutions that granted the people of Kashmir the right to decide their future. According to the UN resolutions, the people must decide whether they want to join Hindustan or Pakistan,” the prime minister said.

“I want to clarify to all of you today. InshaAllah, one day, all the sacrifices made by the people of Kashmir will not be in vain. God will grant you this right. There will be a referendum, InshaAllah.”

He expressed confidence that the people would choose to live with Pakistan that day.

The Prime Minister continued to say that even after the UN-authorized referendum, his government will hold another referendum to allow the people of Kashmir to choose to live with Pakistan or become an independent country.