Bilawal Blames PML‑N Elements for Undermining PM Shehbaz Over Election Disputes, Sparks Division Among Allies.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari accused parts of the ruling PML‑N of undermining Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and sowing discord between the PM and his allies. He spoke at an election rally in the Poonch district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir just before the third phase of voting was set for August 10. Bilawal said a large faction of the PML‑N wants the PM to confront not only opposition parties but also his own political partners. He questioned the three‑phase voting schedule and claimed the phases were designed to rig the results, noting that the PML‑N already had ten seats secured. The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Election Commission announced that only the Bagh and Haveli divisions of Poonch would vote on August 10 because of safety concerns after clashes in Rawalakot. The first phase, held in Mirpur on July 27, saw the PML‑N win nine of 13 seats while the PPP won four. The second phase in Muzaffarabad on August 2 gave the PML‑N 15 seats and the PPP six. Protests by the Joint Awami Action Committee have continued in the region, raising additional security concerns.