Summary Bagh rally announced as party targets disputed constituencies
MUZAFFARABAD (Dunya News) – Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has sharply criticised the federal government, declaring that its "countdown has begun" after rejecting the recently held Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections as heavily rigged.
His remarks signal growing political tensions despite the PPP remaining a key coalition ally of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) at the Centre.
In a video message, Bilawal alleged that the AJK polls were neither free nor fair, accusing authorities of orchestrating widespread electoral manipulation. Despite the outcome, he praised PPP workers for securing nine electoral seats and vowed that the party would continue challenging what it described as a stolen mandate.
Bilawal dismissed the AJK elections as "rigged elections", "bullet elections", "murderous elections" and "bloody elections", claiming the democratic process had been compromised.
"You have won nine seats for the Pakistan Peoples Party despite all this," he told party workers, congratulating them on what he described as victories achieved under difficult circumstances.
He also claimed the PPP would continue its struggle to reclaim seats that were allegedly "stolen" in Mirpur and Muzaffarabad.
یہ صاف و شفاف انتخابات نہیں تھے، یہ دھاندلی الیکشن تھے، یہ گولی الیکشن تھے، یہ قاتل الیکشن تھے، یہ خونی الیکشن تھے۔
— Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (@BBhuttoZardari) August 3, 2026
اس سب کے باوجود آپ نے پاکستان پیپلزپارٹی کو نو انتخابی نشستوں پر کامیاب کروایا ہے۔
میرپور اور مظفرآباد میں جو سیٹیں آپ سے چوری کی گئی ہیں، وہ انشاء اللہ تعالیٰ میں… pic.twitter.com/K2SC6n3WVK
Addressing the PML-N leadership, Bilawal said: "To my friends in the PML-N, can you hear that sound? The countdown for the federal government has begun."
The PPP chairman called on supporters to intensify campaigning ahead of the remaining electoral contests. He urged party workers to ensure the victories of Bazil Naqvi and Javed Ayub in Muzaffarabad on August 4, alleging that doing so would defeat what he called a PML-N conspiracy.
Bilawal also announced a public rally in Bagh district of Poonch Division on August 10, telling residents: "Poonch, I am coming. Get ready."
Ending his message with a rallying call to supporters, he said the PPP would not lose courage, retreat or abandon the political field, urging workers to remain fully prepared for the party's next phase of campaigning.
Bilawal's remarks came as Prime Minister's Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said the PML-N had secured a simple majority to form the next government in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Sanaullah, the PML-N won 23 of the 45 seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly, giving it the numbers required to form the government.
Separately, senior PPP leader and Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon also launched a strong attack on the PML-N, echoing Bilawal's warning that the federal government's "countdown" had begun.
Memon alleged that the PML-N, in collaboration with the Election Commission, had provided ballot papers to its candidates two days before polling. He further claimed that even complaints from the sitting AJK president and prime minister were ignored by the administration.
Calling the exercise "historic rigging", Memon questioned the legitimacy of previous electoral victories by PML-N leaders, including Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, while reiterating the PPP's allegations surrounding the 2024 general elections.
