Bilawal Bhutto Claims PML-N Government Is Under Threat, Says ‘Countdown Has Begun’

Bagh: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari claimed on Friday that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is mistaken if it believes it will form the government in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that the party’s federal government in Islamabad is itself under threat.

Addressing an election rally in Bagh district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Bilawal said the “countdown” for the PML-N-led government had already begun, adding that the process was initiated not by the PPP but by members within the ruling party itself.

He said the rivalry between the PPP and the PML-N was not the real issue, claiming that the actual political struggle was taking place within the PML-N leadership. According to Bilawal, a faction within the party wanted to create differences between the prime minister and his coalition partners, while the main conflict was between political centers in Islamabad and Lahore.

Bilawal argued that the country’s political system had not failed on its own but had been made to fail. He said the system would not function properly until the supremacy of the people was fully accepted. On the issue of creating new provinces, he said the PPP would support the move only if it reflected the will of the people.

Referring to the situation in Azad Kashmir, Bilawal described the current period as one of the most difficult in the region’s history, citing prolonged internet shutdowns and road closures that had affected businesses and daily life. He called for resolving all issues through dialogue and urged the implementation of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, saying both protesters and authorities should refrain from further action until the commission completes its work.

He also criticized the conduct of the elections, questioning why polling was being held in six phases instead of a single day. Bilawal alleged that the phased election schedule was designed to facilitate rigging and reiterated his demand for transparent elections. He concluded by saying that the PPP would not accept what he described as “rigged and violent elections.”