KARACHI – President Asif Ali Zardari is currently in Nawabshah, where a high-level delegation of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the federal government is expected to arrive shortly to meet him.
A special aircraft carrying Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has departed from Islamabad for Nawabshah. The delegation will meet President Zardari, who is in Nawabshah to offer condolences on the death of the provincial interior minister’s mother.
PML-N delegation’s visit also carries a major political dimension as leaders of two sides aim to ease tensions and improve relations between Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the PML-N amid recent strains within the ruling coalition.
After initial meeting with PM Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq is leading reconciliation efforts. The delegation is expected to continue its engagements in Karachi, where President Zardari will also hold further discussions with top government leaders.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, and senior PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah are part of the team tasked with bridging differences and strengthening cooperation between the two coalition partners.
It all started with flood relief in Punjab which escalated into a public feud between coalition partners PML-N and PPP, threatening the stability of Pakistan’s ruling alliance. PPP leaders suggested using the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) to aid flood-affected families, while Punjab’s government preferred to manage relief independently.
The dispute intensified when Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz raised the controversial Cholistan canals project, asserting the water belonged to Punjab. Her remarks prompted strong backlash from PPP leaders, including walkouts from both the National Assembly and Senate.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar called the feud as an internal matter and offered an apology for Maryam’s comments, while President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have attempted to mediate between the parties. Despite these efforts, tensions continue, with the PPP warning of difficulties in Parliament without its support and Maryam maintaining a firm stance on Punjab’s interests.
Apprenrtly, the feud is not limited to flood relief and water issues, reflecting deeper distrust between the coalition partners.
