Islamabad [Pakistan], October 2 (ANI): Tensions between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) escalated further after PPP leaders asked Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to “rethink her tone” in the row over water rights and flood relief, Dawn reported.
The remarks followed Maryam Nawaz’s sharp comments directed at PPP over the Indus River water dispute and flood compensation, which triggered a boycott by PPP lawmakers from the National Assembly and Senate.
According to Dawn, senior leaders from both parties, including Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Law Minister Azam Nazir, Senator Rana Sanaullah and PPP’s Navid Qamar and Ijaz Jakhrani, held a meeting at the NA Speaker’s office, where it was decided to take up the issue with PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and CM Maryam Nawaz.
At a press conference, PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira criticised the Punjab CM’s remarks, warning her not to stoke division.
“Differences should be kept within limits. You (Maryam Nawaz) are a woman and our sister, and our leader (Benazir Bhutto) too was a woman. Reconsider your tone. What do you want to achieve by playing narrow nationalism… Do you want the rest to leave Punjab, and their rights to be ended?” he said, as quoted by Dawn.
Flanked by Usman Malik, Chaudhry Aslam Gill and Faisal Mir, Kaira said, “This country does not belong to any one person; it belongs to all of us. You (Maryam Nawaz) are not just a CM, you are also the daughter of Nawaz Sharif and the niece of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. If you say that you will not allow anyone to speak, this approach is not appropriate in any way. Reconsider this attitude.”
He also accused the Punjab CM of threatening behaviour when legitimate criticism was raised.
“Where something is wrong, we will point it out and we will protest. But when we give opinions or criticism, you start threatening. The question concerns flood management, but the response is to target the Sindh government,” he said.
On relief mechanisms, Kaira defended the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).
“It…provides immediate relief, and this was done before as well. If you don’t want to use BISP, fine; but in terms of transparency, BISP stands first, which is why the IMF itself directed that Rs200bn be added to it in this year’s budget. Our objections concern the relief mechanism,” he added.
Responding to Maryam Nawaz’s canal project remarks, he stressed that water distribution was already governed by a constitutional framework.
“There already existed a formula for water distribution, and the matter must be decided in the Council of Common Interests by the federal and provincial governments together. The PPP has been unfairly blamed regarding canals,” he said, as reported by Dawn.
PPP South Punjab President Makhdoom Ahmad Mahmood also attacked the Punjab government, accusing it of abandoning flood victims in the Seraiki belt.
“Even in the past, there have been worse floods, yet never before were the people abandoned in such a helpless state,” he said, alleging that the Punjab government’s response was “choreographed.”
In response, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari dismissed PPP’s criticism, saying the party was holding repeated press conferences while insisting it was not politicising the plight of flood victims.
“Such statements make no difference, and PPP cannot stand on its own feet this way,” she said.
Bokhari argued that PPP’s remarks were aimed at collectively targeting Punjab.
“Personal attacks will naturally invite a response. You may use BISP in Sindh; we have no objection,” she added, according to Dawn. (ANI)