Pakistan, July 31 -- 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...