• President Zardari, Mohsin Naqvi to discuss PML-N-PPP friction.
• PPP members boycott NA, Senate sessions over Maryam’s remarks.
• Party laments divisive rhetoric coming from Punjab towards Sindh.

KARACHI/ISLAMABAD: The tensions between coalition partners Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) escalated sharply after heated exchanges over Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s public remarks, The News reported on Tuesday.

The PPP lawmakers, a day earlier, staged walkouts from both the National Assembly and the Senate and demanded a formal apology, while PML-N ministers rejected the demand and counterattacked Sindh’s governance record.

However, President Asif Ali Zardari stepped in to defuse the growing tensions between the Sindh and Punjab governments who summoned Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to Karachi for urgent consultations.

The president held a telephonic conversation with the interior minister to discuss the ongoing friction between the provincial government of Punjab and Sindh and summoned him to Karachi immediately.

The president’s intervention comes against the backdrop of the ongoing verbal spat between the PPP and PML-N — the key ruling parties at the Centre — who have been at odds over flood relief, water resources, and the performance of their respective provincial governments in Sindh and Punjab.

On Monday, the PPP lawmakers staged walkouts from the Senate and National Assembly, demanding an apology from the Punjab chief minister. In National Assembly, the PPP and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers separately staged walkouts.

The PPP members boycotted the House proceedings in protest against what they termed “regrettable remarks” made by Punjab CM against their leadership.

Speaking on a point of order, former prime minister and senior PPP leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said his party would not participate in the proceedings until the government provided a satisfactory explanation regarding the Punjab CM’s statements.

“Bilawal Bhutto never criticised any PML-N leader; rather, he appreciated the Punjab CM’s governance. We are part of this government for the sake of Pakistan’s federation, not confrontation,” Raja said.

He added that PPP’s tolerance should not be mistaken for weakness, reminding the House that the party had faced much tougher times, including military dictatorships.

Ashraf also criticised the withdrawal of security for the PPP’s parliamentary leader in the Punjab Assembly and called it a violation of the spirit of the Charter of Democracy.

“We must not use divisive language or resort to blame games. Respect is more important for us than power,” he added.

Speaking on the floor of the House, PPP parliamentary leader Senator Sherry Rehman expressed concern over what she described as “divisive rhetoric” coming from Punjab towards Sindh and the PPP leadership at a time when the nation was reeling from devastating floods.

“Over 6.5 million Pakistanis have been affected by floods — these are not Punjabis or Sindhis, they are Pakistanis. Instead of focusing on their plight, divisive rhetoric is growing. This is no way to manage a crisis or a coalition,” she said.

Sherry Rehman said the ongoing “war of words” between Punjab and Sindh was hurting both the coalition and national unity. She asserted that the PPP had shown restraint and solidarity but a red line was crossed when PML-N leaders “played the Punjab card” and criticised Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Aseefa Bhutto Zardari.

She lamented that the Punjab government had even withdrawn the security of PPP’s parliamentary leader in the Punjab Assembly.

Defending Bilawal’s recent comments, she said he had merely suggested that the Punjab government use Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) data to identify and compensate flood victims.

Calling BISP one of the world’s most effective social protection mechanisms, she cited a World Bank report to support her point. Sherry maintained that “an apology brings more respect” and that PPP did not believe in “politics of division or hatred”.

“If an apology is not offered, then don’t take our support for granted. The PPP remains the largest party in the Senate,” she warned before leading her party’s walkout.

Responding to her remarks, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar struck a conciliatory tone, saying that President Asif Zardari had already taken cognisance of the situation and stepped in to play his constitutional role.

“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Nawaz Sharif are both proponents of reconciliation. The political temperature will come down soon,” Tarar said, adding humorously that the opposition should not celebrate these “ups and downs” in coalition politics.

Meanwhile, separately, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has clapped back at PTI’s Asad Qaiser for suggesting that PPP move a no-confidence motion against the government, telling him to focus on fixing his own party first.