The latest accusation in the ongoing rift between the PPP and PML-N came from Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Sunday when he alleged that the Punjab government was taking his party’s cover to “target” the federal government.
Memon’s PPP and the PML-N, who are coalition partners in the Centre, have been engaged in a war of words for the past many days over issues from flood compensation[1] to water rights in the context of the Cholistan canals project[2]. The PPP, which is in power in Sindh, has been particularly incensed by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s remarks, whose party is also leading the federal government.
As the row continues between the two sides, Memon alleged while addressing a press conference in Karachi that on the face of it, the Punjab government was “indirectly targeting” the PPP, but their “actual target is the federal government”.
“They are taking our cover to settle their own issues with the prime minister or the federal government. Or they are trying to create an environment to [compel] us not to support the federal government, which would create problems for the federal government,” he claimed.
Clarifying that the PPP was supporting the federal government on specific issues and to keep the country’s “political system running”, he asserted that the circumstances that the Punjab government tried to create spoke of their intentions of creating a rift between the allies in the Centre.
“But we will not let this conspiracy of the Punjab government against the federal government succeed,” Memon asserted.
“I do not know why they have these jealousy factors,” he quipped, highlighting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the army chief’s recent “successful” visits to Saudi Arabia[3] and the United States[4]. “A person thinks that ‘maybe this should have come in my share, why is it going to the prime minister’.”
The PPP leader further said that while the chief ministers of Sindh and Balochistan usually receive the premier whenever he visits the provinces, “his own Punjab administration neither receives him nor gives him any protocol”.
“If you have any issues with the prime minister, please keep them among yourselves. Do not bring the PPP into it,” Memon said.
Regardless, the Sindh minister said, the focus at the moment should be on providing relief to the flood-hit people. “Even if you had blacked out the news from some places, but if you look on the ground […] especially in southern Punjab[5], the condition of the people is very bad.”
Memon further said: “You say we are doing politics [on the issue]. We are not doing politics. We are genuinely worried for our brothers and sisters in Punjab. Instead, those people who are even putting their pictures on boxes of biscuits are doing politics.”
He recalled that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had asked[6] the Centre to issue an appeal for international assistance and that his party had demanded that immediate flood relief be provided[7] through the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).
The minister pointed out that the appeal was towards the federal government but it was the Punjab government that was reacting negatively to them, despite the Centre giving the PPP “reassurances”.
South Punjab way better than any interior Sindh area: Bokhari responds
Responding to Memon in a statement, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said she accepted the Sindh minister’s challenge for a debate, with “time and venue of your choice”.
Bokhari alleged that as a foreign minister, Bilawal was “weakening the roots of the federal government, including his party, and the prime minister”. “The house where a father and son do not agree are now trying to hide their sins by making futile taunts against our house.”
She further said that the PPP was “conspiring” against both the Centre and the Punjab government. “You start playing the ‘province card’ when your own performance[8] is questioned,” the information minister said.
Bokhari asserted that south Punjab was still “way better and developed than any area of interior Sindh”. “Who are you to order Punjab?” she asked.
The minister also took exception to the PPP highlighting water right issues[9] “day and night but telling us that Punjab will use water as per your (Sindh’s) wishes”.
Assailing the PPP for “delayed” work, Bokhari said: “You are still selling the 2002 floods, [while] cheques have started being distributed in areas where surveys have been completed.”
In a post on X, Bokhari said Memon was “more worried about interfering into Punjab’s political and administrative issues because they have decided not to do any work in Sindh”.
“Saying things is easy. Do work if there is. See your conditions; our south Punjab is better than them in every way. Is there any shame?” Bokhari added.
Both parties have been engaged in a social media contest today, with the PPP sharing complaints[10] from purported flood-affected people from Punjab and the PML-N countering those by sharing interviews[11] lauding its provincial government.
Memon assails Punjab-backed campaign to support vlogger’s anti-Sindh remarks
Memon also indirectly referred to the remarks made last month by YouTuber Rizwan Razi, whose content aired on national electronic media was decried as hate speech[12] against the Sindhi community and led to a war of words[13] between the coalition partners.
While a Senate committee had grilled Razi for making the derogatory remarks and the PTV had terminated his services, CM Maryam openly came out in support of the vlogger, with a social media campaign launched to express solidarity with him.
During his media briefing, Memon alleged that the Punjab government “staged another drama to divert from this entire matter (of floods), which is extremely unfortunate, damaging, and I think it was handled in a very childish manner”.
Detailing the sequence of events without naming Razi, the PPP leader said the Senate panel’s proceedings were still ongoing when a “campaign strongly in his favour” was launched from the social media accounts of the Punjab government and some of its top ministers.
Recalling that Maryam had “urged that the person be forgiven as he had apologised”, Memon questioned how the country’s anti-hate speech and electronic media laws would be implemented if people were to be let go in this manner.
“If you are giving these examples, then release all the people that are sitting in your jails across Punjab,” he said.
“However, I would say that she is not at fault. Her scriptwriter is leading her onto the wrong path […] and advises her to run campaigns […] Remember a ‘Vote Ko Izzat Do’ campaign was run once, and very good respect was also given,” Memon quipped.
The PPP minister affirmed that whether it was a Punjabi, Sindhi, Balochi, Pashtun or from any other community, “all live like brothers and respect each other”.
Additional input by Adnan Sheikh
References
- ^ flood compensation (www.dawn.com)
- ^ Cholistan canals project (www.dawn.com)
- ^ Saudi Arabia (www.dawn.com)
- ^ United States (www.dawn.com)
- ^ southern Punjab (www.dawn.com)
- ^ asked (www.dawn.com)
- ^ provided (www.dawn.com)
- ^ performance (www.dawn.com)
- ^ water right issues (www.dawn.com)
- ^ complaints (x.com)
- ^ interviews (x.com)
- ^ decried as hate speech (www.dawn.com)
- ^ war of words (www.dawn.com)