By Imtiaz Hussain
SUKKUR: Newly elected Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, visited Garhi Khuda Baksh Bhutto on Saturday to lay floral wreaths at the graves of Qaida-e-Awam Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, Mohtarma Begum Nusrat Bhutto, and other deceased members of the Bhutto family.
PPP leaders joined the ceremony and offered Fateha for the forgiveness, eternal peace, and elevation of the departed. During his visit, Rathore credited President Asif Ali Zardari for the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) success in Azad Kashmir, noting that the party’s political presence had strengthened significantly in recent years.
He recalled that the PPP held just 11 seats in the 2021 elections, a figure that had now grown to 29 seats. “Our time in government may have been brief, but whenever we had the opportunity, we raised our voice for the rights of the people,” he said, highlighting the challenges faced by communities along the Line of Control due to the presence of Indian forces.
Rathore described the current PPP-led government in Azad Kashmir as a “trailer” for the 2026 general election, asserting that the party aimed to return with even greater strength. He reaffirmed the unbreakable bond between Pakistan and Kashmir, adding, “Slogans of ‘We are Pakistanis’ echo in the streets of Kashmir.” The Prime Minister further predicted that Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari would become Pakistan’s Prime Minister in the next national election.
Highlighting achievements of his administration, Rathore noted that the government immediately issued health cards upon assuming office and announced that several major development projects would be unveiled in the coming days.
After the visit to Garhi Khuda Baksh, Rathore proceeded to Sial House in Anwarabad, Larkana, where he was warmly welcomed by senior PPP leaders, including Chaudhry Muhammad Riaz, former AJK Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, senior minister Mian Abdul Waheed, Sardar Javed Ayub, Zafar Malik, and Javed Iqbal Badhanvi.
The reception was hosted by PPP MPA Sardar Sohail Anwar Khan Sial, his brother and Tehsil PPP President Sardar Tariq Anwar Khan Sial, and Chairman Dari Town Shahrukh Anwar Khan Sial.
