PPP, PML-N trade barbs once again

KARACHI/LAHORE: A fresh political row has erupted between the Sindh and Punjab governments after Sindh Senior Minister and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Sharjeel Inam Memon accused the Punjab government of running a campaign against the PPP, deflecting attention from flood victims in southern Punjab.

In a fiery press conference, Memon lashed out at the Punjab leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), saying the current focus should be on rehabilitating flood victims, not political point-scoring. “At a time when people in southern Punjab are suffering, the Punjab government is targeting the PPP instead of providing real help,” he said.

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He added that during the recent floods, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider visited affected areas, highlighting the party’s commitment. “Bilawal appealed to international organisations for assistance, which is the need of the hour,” Memon said, calling it the duty of the global community to support flood-hit populations.

Memon proposed distributing aid through the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), referencing how the Prime Minister had previously utilised the platform to distribute aid during Ramzan. He asserted that climate disasters aren’t confined to one province or party, urging national unity instead of political division.

However, Memon’s sharpest criticism was reserved for the Punjab government, accusing it of engaging in a deliberate campaign to discredit the PPP and destabilise the federation. “The Punjab government isn’t just attacking the PPP, it’s targeting the federation itself,” he claimed. “We won’t allow this conspiracy to succeed.”

Memon also warned against dragging the PPP into provincialist politics, urging, “Keep your fight to yourself, don’t drag us into it.” He also said that criticism of PPP’s role in flood relief stemmed from jealousy over Bilawal’s popularity and the PPP’s continued relevance.

PML-N BITES BACK

In response, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari issued a strongly worded rebuttal, accusing Memon of using flood victims for political mileage. “Your dirty politics on the pain of Punjab’s flood victims has failed,” she said. Bukhari also accepted Memon’s challenge to a public debate, adding, “But come yourself, don’t hide behind a proxy.”

She lambasted Memon for what she described as interference in Punjab’s internal affairs, accusing the PPP of jealousy over Punjab’s rapid development. “Whenever you’re questioned about performance in Sindh, you start playing the provincial card, or invoke BISP,” she said. “South Punjab is still in better shape than interior Sindh.”

Bukhari also accused Bilawal Bhutto of undermining both his party and the federal government during his tenure as foreign minister. “The people remember who was sabotaging the federation from within,” she said.

In a scathing critique, she added, “This is Punjab, not Sindh, where work of days is dragged on for years. Here, we finish years’ work in days.” She dismissed the PPP’s accusations as attempts to cover up mismanagement, and said, “You’re still selling the 2022 flood. We’ve moved on, and so has Punjab.”

Also read: PML-N, PPP continue to spar over helping flood victims

The war of words comes amid ongoing tensions between the two provincial governments, particularly regarding flood management, federal support, and inter-provincial equity. While the PPP continues to reiterate its national role and support for the federation, Punjab’s government has drawn a firm line, calling for respect for provincial autonomy.

Both sides have exchanged verbal blows over local government elections, BISP allocations, water distribution, and political ethics, escalating what started as a debate on flood relief into a broader confrontation over governance and federalism.