Bilawal claims PPP will form govt in GB after June 7 polls, calls for ‘jiyala CM’

• PPP chairman vows immediate resettlement action for Diamer-Bhasha Dam affectees if PPP wins GB polls

• Says dam would have been completed if Zardari govt not removed in 2013

• Terms Diamer-Bhasha Dam vital for national interest, urging PM to accelerate work under ‘Shehbaz speed’ slogan

• Criticises rival parties, says GB people ‘cannot be bought,’ as Aseefa says arrow symbol stands for rights, hope and democracy

 DIAMER: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday pledged to address the resettlement concerns of people affected by the construction of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam on an “immediate basis” if his party emerges victorious in the June 7 elections, while claiming that had President Asif Ali Zardari’s government not been removed in 2013, the project would have already been completed.

Addressing a party election rally in Diamer, the PPP chairman said it was “unfortunate” that the resettlement issues of affected citizens had not been resolved, adding that the project had seen “great progress” during the PPP’s tenure.

لائیو: پاکستان پیپلزپارٹی کا گلگت بلتستان کے ضلع دیامیر کی تحصیل چلاس میں انتخابی جلسہ عام#DiamerMainTeerChaleyGa https://t.co/XdcPzHYiDQ

— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) June 3, 2026

He reiterated that had President Asif Ali Zardari’s government not been dismissed in 2013, the Diamer-Bhasha Dam would have been completed by now.

The PPP and other political parties are continuing their election campaigns ahead of the June 7 polls, intensifying efforts to secure public support.

“I would like to promise you that after June 7 — when PPP forms government in GB — we will ensure that the work is completed and, as far as resettlement is concerned, we will address it on an immediate basis,” Bilawal said.

He urged the federal government to prioritise the construction of the dam, terming it not only the right of the people of Diamer but also a national necessity.

“No project is more important for Pakistan at the moment than the Diamer-Bhasha Dam,” the PPP chairman said, calling on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to expedite work on the project.

“We have heard of your ‘Shehbaz speed’ in Lahore — please show your ‘Shehbaz speed’ to the people of Diamer as well and ensure the project is completed,” he quipped.

In April, the Diamer-Bhasha Dam land-affected committee, under the “Huqooq Do, Dam Banao” (ensure rights, build the dam) movement, staged a sit-in in the Chilas and Thore areas of Diamer that lasted several days over non-implementation of a 2025 agreement on compensation for dam-affected people, among other demands.

 Bilawal calls for ‘jiyala CM’ in GB

Bilawal claimed that the PPP was the “sole political party” looking after the interests of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan and enjoying their trust.

“On June 7, the people of GB will demonstrate their power and elect a jiyala chief minister,” he said.

Recalling PPP’s contributions to the region, he said it was his father, President Asif Ali Zardari, who “gave GB its current identity”, noting that the region was earlier referred to as the Northern Areas.

He said Pakistan needed a government “that can look the world in the eye”, adding that only the PPP could do so as the true representative of the people.

He urged voters in GB to support the PPP to form a government in the region, expressing optimism that similar results would follow in future national elections.

Support for securing GB’s constitutional rights

Bilawal reiterated his support for securing Gilgit-Baltistan’s constitutional rights, stressing that Islamabad must recognise that “Pakistan can only prosper if GB prospers”.

He said PPP’s public-private partnership initiatives would enable the region not only to meet its own energy needs but also supply surplus electricity to the rest of the country.

“I am not here to air grievances; it is not in our nature,” he said, referring to past political events involving his family. “We are not the kind to complain; we only know how to take back our rights. So support me, and I will not disappoint you.”

The PPP chairman also took a jibe at the ruling PML-N, questioning why other parties campaigning in GB appeared “worried”.

“Throwing money at things might work in Lahore, but not in GB; the people here are honourable and cannot be bought,” he said.

He added that any development achieved by other political parties in their respective provinces was made possible due to President Zardari, the 18th Constitutional Amendment and the NFC Award.

“If they were able to build metros or run trains in any city, it was because of the 18th Amendment and the NFC Award, which enabled provinces to secure the resources needed for such projects,” he said.

‘Arrow symbol represents rights and hope’: Aseefa

First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari also addressed a rally in the region, urging people to support the PPP and describing its electoral symbol, the arrow, as “a symbol of rights, betterment, power and hope for the poor, and the identity of democracy”.

Expressing support for her brother’s vision, she said a PPP-led government would focus on youth opportunities, including quality educational institutions, IT parks, improved internet connectivity and employment generation.

“We want every youth of GB to see a bright future, for everyone to have access to healthcare, and for every child to be educated,” she said.