The rift between the PPP and PML-N escalated on Tuesday when PPP lawmakers walked out of the National Assembly in protest against remarks made a day earlier by Punjab Chief Minister and PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz.
The war of words, which began over flood compensation through the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), had expanded to water rights on the Indus River a day earlier as the Punjab’s chief minister told the PPP leadership to keep its advice to itself.
At a Faisalabad event on Monday, Maryam defended a controversial canal project on the Indus, rejecting Sindh’s objections and warning the PPP against criticising Punjab’s development — comments that triggered a PPP walkout from the National Assembly today.
Taking the floor of the lower house of Parliament, PPP’s Naveed Qamar said: “Right now, our country is going through a severe flood situation. As we speak, there is a medium-level flood ongoing in my constituency. The onsluaght that came from Punjab has more or less subsided but many rural areas are still submerged. Standing crops were also submerged.”
He added that people were looking toward the country’s leadership during this time, highlighting that a recent report released by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) stated that the floods would also affect upcoming Rabi cultivation.
“Unfortunately, people have not seen rescue efforts following the floods but have seen a lot of politics,” he lamented.
“When it comes to it, we can also make fiery speeches. We can also make something an inter-provincial issue but we have mercy on the people of whose responsibility rests on ours shoulders.
“We cannot absolve ourselves by saying ’it was because of nature’ and leave people to fend for themselves.”
He continued: “In the past few days, there have been statements — and I accept some were from our side — but the escalation that followed and the level to which things went is in no way appropriate.”
Qamar maintained that when PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari visited flood-hit areas, the first thing he did was to praise the Punjab government. “He said that in Punjab, the chief minister and the Punjab government did good work in dealing with the flood situation.”
He added that some people from their camp did not like this but then the “escalation” went in another direction.
“In Punjab, a flood of this size has occurred for the first time. But Sindh has suffered this repeatedly […]. We have gone through this experience, and we have learnt from our mistakes,” he said.
“We learnt that instead of sending flour or sacks, give people cash directly so that they can rebuild their lives,” Qamar said.
“We are your allies, we can give you suggestions. The government is yours, you have to make decisions […] but if we give you advice based on our experiences from the past then why do you turn it into criticism? Why make it a Sindh versus Punjab issue?” he asked.
“‘Our water, our money, our will’ — what does that mean? What does that imply? This is our country and it belongs to all of us […]. Consider our suggestions; if you don’t like them, don’t accept them, but the response should not be what it has been,” he said, mentioning Maryam’s words.
He said he was very “saddened” by the remarks made by her a day prior.
“The Indus is the lifeline of Pakistan. If the Indus exists, Pakistan exists; if the Indus does not exist, Pakistan will not exist. It connects the whole country […] it is neither Sindh’s water nor Punjab’s nor any other province’s. It passes through all and benefits everyone,” he added.
“In such a situation, it is becoming very difficult for us to sit on the treasury benches,” he said. “This is not a partnership. We are not getting a fee to sit with you. If you give us respect, we are with you in national interest. We don’t want ministries or anything else,” he said as other members of the House pounded on their desks.
“Think of the people and look at how partnerships work. We cannot take part in House proceedings until things improve. We are walking out,” he said.
Meanwhile, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said he was apologetic if the PPP was distressed over the comments made by Maryam and called for a dialogue between the two sides.
The NA session was subsequently adjourned till 11am on Friday.
‘Better for provinces to share issues’
Meanwhile, PPP leader Sherry Rehman, in a video posted on the PPP’s X account, said that this matter should be taken up in both Houses of Parliament.
“Whether it is the floods, the canals issue or regarding water reservoirs, we have never adopted an attitude towards Punjab where anyone could point fingers,” she said.
“We have always spoken within the bounds of decency and acted with responsibility. So it is better that both the provinces share their issues with each other,” she said.
She further said that the BISP was globally acknowledged and there was “no comparison”. “It has been recognised at an international level among social protection programmes,” she said, adding that if it was employed effectively then four million people would not currently be in distress.
She questioned how the PPP could be part of such an alliance under the current circumstances and said that the war of words was not the way forward.
“The people are watching all of us and they are looking toward us. Chairman Bilawal has also made it clear that the people should be given effective and complete relief. There is nothing here for anyone to be offended about,” she emphasised, adding that in such an environment it had become difficult to continue supporting the government with consistency.