Bilawal promises land and employment rights for people in Britain and emphasizes digital connectivity

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday renewed his commitment to ensure land ownership and labor rights for the people of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), while promising to expand digital connectivity and modern internet infrastructure to create economic opportunities and empower the youth of the region.

At an election rally in Gilgit on the last day of campaigning for the June 7 GB election, Bilawal urged PPP workers to ensure the protection of Form 45s, saying the party would not allow anyone to usurp its mandate.

“Arrangements have to be made for Form-45 because we will not allow anyone to rob Pakistan People’s Party of its rights,” he told his supporters.

Referring to the PPP’s election manifesto, Bilawal said the party wanted to ensure the right to self-governance of the people of GB and would continue to support them in that fight.

“We want to ensure the right to self-governance of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan, and the PPP is with you in this fight, which has continued for three generations,” he said.

Criticizing Britain’s current government for rising unemployment, Bilawal said two governments had come to power in the region since the PPP rule, but no recruitments had been made during that period.

He said that if it comes to power after the June 7 elections, the PPP would reopen the recruitment process and fill all vacant posts on merit.

“If we truly unlock the potential of this region, we will not only be able to provide jobs to the youth here but also create economic growth and employment opportunities for youth across Pakistan,” he said, adding that the region could become the “Koh-i-Noor” of Pakistan’s economy.

Defending the use of modern technology, Bilawal said communication and digital infrastructure were more important than roads, arguing that digital connectivity should be prioritized before investing in other infrastructure projects.

“If there is digital connectivity, every child will be able to connect digitally from home and conduct business through a mobile phone. Only through digital connectivity can we open up the UK economy to the modern era,” he said.

He promised to make all-out efforts to provide the region with the latest fiber optic infrastructure to ensure high-quality digital connectivity in every village and district.

“If it is not possible via fiber optics from China, and we have to talk to the United States about providing Starlink Internet service by satellite to the people of Great Britain, then we will try to make those arrangements,” Bilawal said.

He added that substantial investment in digital infrastructure would be required for the region to fully realize its potential.

“We have to invest in digital infrastructure so that we can fulfill our promise of ‘Haq-i-Rozgar’ to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan,” he said.

Bilawal said that if the people of GB wanted to secure their Haq-i-Milkiyat (right to own land), they should ensure the PPP’s victory in the June 7 elections.

“Others may participate in these elections for their own interests, but I participate in these elections to guarantee their right to self-governance, their right to employment and to continue the fight for their right to land ownership,” he said.

He called on the people of Britain to give the PPP a decisive mandate, saying this would allow the party to secure their right to property and ensure they could own land of their own.

Bilawal said that during the previous elections, he had toured the entire region and wanted to take First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari across Britain, but this time the circumstances were different.

He said the entire Muslim world is currently facing a test.

“The situation in Gaza, Palestine, is before everyone. The situation in Lebanon is before you. The situation in the Arab countries is before you, and what is happening with Iran is also before you,” he said.

“Under these circumstances, the people of Gilgit-Baltistan will have to decide who they want to represent them,” he added.

Attributing the country’s strong defense capabilities to PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Bilawal said the former prime minister had made Pakistan’s defense impregnable by giving the country the atomic bomb.

“Today, the world is going through a test, but no one can look badly at Pakistan because Zulfikar Ali Bhutto gifted this country with the atomic bomb, and that atomic bomb continues to defend Pakistan today,” the PPP president said.

Bilawal also gave credit to President Asif Ali Zardari for the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project, describing it as an even bigger decision than the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He further praised Zardari’s decision to close foreign military bases in Pakistan, calling it an even greater achievement.

“When Zardari first became president, he not only made sure that all those bases were closed but also bid farewell to our guests with great respect. It is thanks to that historic decision that Pakistan remains safe today,” he added.