ISLAMABAD: As a virtual ‘ceasefire’ between the two main ruling allies — the PML-N and PPP — appears to be holding for now, it seems the latter has been pacified following the launch of a rehabilitation[1] project in Punjab, under which around Rs100 billion will be provided to the flood-hit[2] people in the province.
Indeed, verbal attacks[3] from both sides had stopped after a couple of meetings held at the PM Office, and the PPP’s subsequent CEC meeting over the weekend, where the party decided to adopt a wait-and-see[4] approach on whether its demands would be catered to.
The PPP, which had earlier raised reservations[5] over Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s unwillingness to providing relief to flood victims through BISP, seems to have been convinced to some extent that the programme she has announced will be adequate enough to help those who are in need.
Although PM Shehbaz Sharif had agreed[6] to try and prevail upon the provincial government to accede to the PPP’s demand in toto, he was assured by CM Maryam in a subsequent meeting that the comprehensive provincial package for flood rehabilitation package would be adequate for the purpose. The premier, thereafter, seemed content that if things work out as planned, there would be no need to activate BISP in Punjab for this purpose.
Talking to Dawn, senior PPP leader Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari, who was present in the meeting between the Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari-led delegation and PM Shehbaz, said that if the provincial government was providing a comprehensive rehabilitation package to the people, his party will have “no objections”.
However, he wondered why the Punjab government had refused to provide funds through the BISP, when it had taken a share from the loans that the federal government received from donors and international lenders.
When contacted, Federal Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, who had also attended the PM-Bilawal meeting, told Dawn that the premier had made a promise to Mr Bhutto-Zardari regarding assistance to flood victims in Punjab.
However, he added that on the very next day, another important meeting was held at PM House, which was attended by the chief ministers of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan.
“In that meeting, the Punjab CM assured the PM that she was going to launch a major programme for flood victims in the province and after that there will be no need to get additional funds from the BISP,” he elaborated.
“Following this, the premier was convinced that if Punjab is providing adequate funds from its own kitty, then why should the federal government, which has limited funds, spend its money for the same cause.”
Another senior PPP leader, who did not wish to be named, said his party had no objection if the BISP was not being used for flood programmes in Punjab, provided that the rehabilitation package recently launched by CM Maryam would fully compensate the flood-hit people, especially farmers.
The leader said the recent protests[7] by the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan was one of the reasons that the party had stopped its confrontation with the PML-N as the country was passing through a critical situation in which all ruling allies needed to stand together to foil any attempt to disrupt peace in the country.
Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2025
References
- ^ rehabilitation (www.dawn.com)
- ^ flood-hit (www.dawn.com)
- ^ attacks (www.dawn.com)
- ^ wait-and-see (www.dawn.com)
- ^ reservations (www.dawn.com)
- ^ agreed (www.dawn.com)
- ^ protests (www.dawn.com)