PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari warned on Thursday that a stolen election in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) would start a “countdown” for the federal government.

Polls in AJK are being held in three phases over security concerns, with the first set of polls held in Mirpur division on Monday. Scuffles, violence and allegations of rigging had marred the polling process, with the PML-N and PPP accusing each other of electoral malpractice.

“The PML-N thinks that after its defeat in Gilgit-Baltistan, a defeat in AJK would mean a countdown begins for its government,” Bilawal said while addressing a rally in Muzaffarabad ahead of the August 2 elections. “But this is a misconception.”

“If you steal [the election] … write it down, take my guarantee, that a countdown will start for your federal government,” he warned. “If you steal my mandate, I will come for your throne.”

The PPP scion added that his party had elders who had challenged former leaders, including General Ziaul Haq and Pervez Musharraf, and were experts at “hunting lions”.

He also extended a message to the PTI — which has rejected the AJK elections over alleged rigging concerns — to “start doing politics” and leave behind “boycott politics”.

“Boycotting elections, boycotting Parliament, boycotting committees, boycotting your work, boycotting struggle — if you want to boycott, you might as well just sit at home,” he said, calling on the PTI to contest the elections and conduct themselves as a political party.

“Today I extend my hand towards PTI’s workers, towards its serious politicians,” he said. “To every political party that is tired of rigging, to every political worker who wants to make their own decision, come and join your hand with mine.”

He expressed hope that together, they could bring about parliamentary reforms and ensure fair elections in Kashmir and all of Pakistan, expressing his readiness to work with all political parties on that agenda.

Bilawal added that there was one way to stop rigging in an election: to turn out in such large numbers that an “injection” of false votes would not be effective, calling on PPP supporters to ensure this massive turnout during the second phase of the elections on August 2.

While addressing the rally, he said that he welcomed the PML-N’s promise to provide Kashmir with buses, but added that “if you come to Muzaffarabad bringing the spectacle of what you have done in Lahore, people will ask: what you have done in Muzaffarabad?”

Referring to the CMH flyover project in AJK, he pointed out that this had not been completed in five years. Meanwhile, the PPP was responsible for all three medical colleges in Kashmir as well as the building of universities.

“I don’t want to make Kashmir into Punjab, or even Sindh,” the PPP chairman said. “I want … to make Kashmir into a strong Kashmir. I want to see it free.”

Bilawal said that the first task for the elected government would be to end the difficulties of the people of AJK, including opening roads, delivering essential supplies and restoring internet and banking services. He highlighted that the PPP wanted to bring “fast, modern” internet to the region to allow it to stay connected.

Throughout his address, he stressed his commitment to Kashmir’s right to make decisions regarding its own future, votes, and resources as well as jobs for its youth.

He restated his intention to deliver “sovereignty, ownership and employment” to the people of AJK, saying that in institutions of Pakistan in which decisions were made on Kashmir’s “water, electricity, economy, budget and future”, Kashmir should have rightful seats and their own voice.

“Election decisions should be done by ballots, not bullets. Votes should be counted during the election, not bodies,” he said.

Recalling that Benazir Bhutto had given Kashmiris observer status at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, he pledged to also deliver observer status to Kashmiris in the National Finance Commission, Council of Common Interests, National Assembly, and Senate.

Bilawal also stated his intention to deliver the same sovereignty and ownership to refugees, calling them “a part of our existence, our history and our movement”. He called for their rightful proportional representation in the AJK Assembly to be protected.

He stressed that Kashmiri citizens were the “real owners” of the region’s natural resources, calling for the protection of their rivers and environment and for the region to get a fair financial share for the use of its resources. He added that the first right to jobs born from projects in the region should go to its own youth.

The PPP chairman stressed that the PPP had submitted proof of winning 90-100 per cent of votes in Mirpur to the AJK election commission, but regretted that a notification had been issued instead.

“I want to ask the election commissioner: are you an election commissioner for the PML-N, or the state of AJK?” he said, adding that a notification could not hide theft or stop justice. He demanded that ahead of August 2, complaints regarding the first phase of elections be heard publicly, and polling station results and ballot counts be brought before the public.

“If it is not theft, then what are you hiding?” he emphasised, calling on the commission to restore its credibility.