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Bilawal Bhutto Zardari
Islamabad: Pakistan’s ruling coalition is more fragile than ever as its two biggest partners, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), continue fighting over the elections in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK).
The parties have been accusing each other of rigging votes in the region. On Monday, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari told the PML-N, “Tick tock, tick tock. Your countdown has begun.”
According to Karachi-based *Dawn, Bilawal alleged that the PML-N had allowed big-scale rigging in POK on Monday, just days before he said that whoever is indicted for “stealing” the election will trigger the collapse of the federal government.
In a series of videos released on X, Bilawal said the PPP’s drive for good governance, ownership and jobs will not be confined to Kashmir or Gilgit-Baltistan. Both the regions are claimed as part of India, and have been under illegal Pakistani occupation since 1947-48.
“This movement will not stay only in the mountains of Kashmir or Gilgit-Baltistan. God willing, I will take this movement across Pakistan,” Bilawal said. He then addressed the PML-N directly, “Listen carefully. Tick tock, tick tock. Your countdown has begun.”
His comments drew quite a few responses online. One of them told Bilawal to develop Sindh, which the PPP governed, before collecting money from other places: “Kashmiris didn’t vote for you after seeing your work in Karachi. First develop Sindh, then collect money from other places,” the user wrote.
Another response read, “First, give Sindh its rights.”
Azma Bokhari, Punjab Information Minister and leader of the PML-N, responded to Bilawal’s remarks with this: “Oh no, we are scared. What should we now do?”
The so-called elections in POK are being held in 3 phases. The first phase was held on July 27, the second on August 3, while the last phase will be held on August 10.
After the first two phases, the PML-N emerged as the largest party. The PPP, which was in power in POK for the entire previous term, remains the second largest party with 9 seats till now.
India has termed these elections a “sham”.
Even as the PPP and the PML-N have been pointing fingers at each other over allegations of rigging in the elections, the Pakistani security forces have been cracking down hard on dissenting civilians protesting against Islamabad's grip on the region. Apparently, more than 40 people have lost their lives since the election saga started.
