Bilawal Bhutto Zardari launches AJK election campaign ahead of July 27 vote

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari announced his campaign itinerary for the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) general election scheduled for July 27. The schedule includes public rallies in Dadial on July 17, Kotli on July 19, Nakial on July 21, Mirpur on July 22 and Muzaffarabad on July 24, with further meetings to be announced. The Election Commission of AJK released updated rolls showing 3,804,385 registered voters – an increase of 583,839 since the 2021 election.

Ahead of the vote, Bilawal met Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar at Aiwan‑i‑Sadr to discuss the overall situation in AJK and the rest of Pakistan, stressing the importance of free, fair and transparent elections. The meeting follows a joint contest agreement between PPP and JUI‑F and comes as the Joint Awami Action Committee calls for protests to abolish 12 reserved seats. Bilawal’s arrival in Muzaffarabad was marked by a large public welcome at Kohala Bridge, with supporters greeting him with chants and flower petals.