Bilawal questions why Khawaja Asif is still in cabinet after Rawalakot remarks

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday strongly criticised Defence Minister Khawaja Asif over his remarks regarding Rawalakot and its residents in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

Addressing the National Assembly, Bilawal said there are some ministers whose statements created unnecessary problems instead of helping Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

“There are some ministers who, instead of assisting PM Shehbaz, end up creating more difficulties,” he said, adding that certain ministers make comments that complicate sensitive issues.

Referring to the situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the PPP chairman said that efforts were being made to resolve issues politically, but some statements were counterproductive.

“Why is a minister still in the cabinet who says that the people of Rawalakot are not Kashmiris? How can a defence minister of a country make such a statement?” he asked.

Bilawal Bhutto said that issues related to Kashmir required careful handling and responsible political discourse, adding that such statements were like “pouring oil on fire instead of extinguishing it.”

He further said that Khawaja Asif had not even apologised for the controversial remarks, raising questions about how the government could justify such statements.

Bilawal also urged PM Shehbaz to exercise greater control over his cabinet, stressing that political issues should be resolved through dialogue and political means.

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“We should not damage the Kashmir cause. These matters should be handled politically,” he said, adding that constructive engagement was the only viable path forward.

He also suggested that JUI chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman could play a role in helping resolve such political tensions.

The remarks come in response to a recent interview by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, in which he reportedly stated that residents of Rawalakot and Mirpur are not “true Kashmiris,” describing some locals as speaking Potohari rather than Kashmiri, comments that sparked political controversy.