PPP leader Palwasha Khan fires back at PML-N, emphasizing equality in alliance.
ISLAMABAD – President Asif Ali Zardari has entrusted Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi with the delicate task of mediating between the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and its ruling ally, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), according to sources. Naqvi is set to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday to urge his involvement in defusing the growing tensions between the two parties.
The dispute between the PPP and PML-N escalated sharply on Tuesday when PPP leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf stormed out of the National Assembly session, demanding a clarification on remarks made by Punjab ministers regarding Sindh. The escalating conflict has brought into question the fragile nature of the coalition between the two parties, as both sides trade verbal jabs over national issues.
Meanwhile, opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Qaiser seized on the rift, offering his party’s support to the PPP for a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly. “If the PPP leadership is serious, they should bring a no-confidence motion, and we will fully support it,” Qaiser declared, offering PTI’s backing to bring down the central government.
The row has largely centered on remarks by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, who has faced sharp criticism from PPP leaders over her comments on flood relief efforts, the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), and a controversial canals project. The tension has seen ministers from both parties engaging in an ongoing war of words.
PPP’s Palwasha Khan, who has been vocal in expressing frustration with the PML-N, was the latest to address the tensions. At a press conference, Khan strongly rebuked PML-N’s leadership, stating, “The Peoples Party is not your [PML-N’s] slave. Alliance does not mean slavery.” She reminded the PML-N that their government in the Centre was formed with PPP’s crucial support.
Khan further criticized the Punjab government’s verbal attacks on Sindh and the PPP, suggesting that these were tactics aimed at undermining the federal government, rather than addressing provincial issues. “You fight your battles within your house. We don’t want to get in the middle of it,” Khan added, asserting that PPP would continue to voice concerns over the governance of Punjab but would not be drawn into internal PML-N disputes.
The remarks from PPP leaders underscore the fragile state of the coalition, with both parties now at odds over policy issues and political maneuvering, particularly as both continue to grapple with internal challenges and opposition pressure.
