LAHORE:
The verbal dispute between the PPP and the PML-N, the two parties that support the current political dispensation and, respectively, ruled Sindh and Punjab, continued on Sunday when the PPP highlighted an alleged internal crack within the PML-N, while the PML-N accused the head of PPP of weakening their own party.
At an intelligently orchestrated press conference in Karachi, Sindh information minister Sharjeel Memon advised PML-N to refrain from dragging the PPP to his internal cracks.
He affirmed that the true problem of the Punjab government was with the federal government led by Shehbaz Sharif, and that a “conspiracy” had been plotted against the prime minister, which also belongs to the PML-N using the PPP as a scapegoat.
Memon said the prime minister had gained praise during his recent American tour, which he could have offended his niece and the Prime Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, who “longs for the center of attention.”
Citing examples of internal divisions, he commented that every time the prime minister visits any province, Sindh or Baluchistan, he is received by the respective main minister according to the protocol, but in his own hometown, “neither the CM nor the provincial administration receive it.”
Memon claimed that Punjab even tried to “steal credit” after Pahalgam’s incident, claiming that his leader, the president of PML-N, Nawaz Sharif, was the “main architect of that answer.” He said that the Punjab government was establishing smoke curtains to divert the attention of its own deficiencies.
Memon also disagreed with Maryam Nawaz’s position on apologies. “If their position on forgiveness after an apology is universally applied, then all in jail must be released, since everyone would be ready to apologize.”
He added that the Punjab government had conducted a campaign in support of a YouTuber that had repeatedly used derogatory terms for PPP leaders. “If the apology works for you,” he asked, “then, why do we have the PCA law and hate discourse laws?”
He accused the Punjab government of Fanning Provincialism, urging them to “stop playing the provincial letter.” He said: “We blame Maryam Nawaz’s speeches writers, who make her spread the hatred against others. She should tell them to shut up.”
The PPP leader also said that instead of losing the approach, the government should “worry about those without refuge and food.” “Media management will not do the trick: it will have to fulfill in the field,” he added.
Addressing the issue of the use of Benazir’s income support program (BISP) to help flood victims and seek foreign help for flood rehabilitation, Memon said the PPP had only appealed to the central government, but this seemed to offend Punjab.
“We are grateful to him [PML-N led] The federal government to listen to us, “he said, remembering that even the prime minister had sought international assistance during disasters.” Therefore, affirming that any leader who is respected should not seek help is absurd. “
He warned that “playing the Provincial Charter has not worked in the past, nor will it do so in the future.” He called the unit, saying: “We have always raised the Pakistan Khappay slogan, Pakistan should stay.”
Referring to Maryam’s recent statement on the construction of the Contentious Cholistan channel, he said that rhetoric as “my water, my resource” desalting any leader who has read the water agreement and the Constitution, remembering that these resources belong to all, and added that “we [people of Sindh] I would never say ‘our ports’ or ‘our coal’ “.
Memon said there were wide videos that expose the poor management of the Punjab government.
“The change from arm to the media will not help anymore,” he said, adding that politicizing the relief of disasters “is negligible” and that “those who love to print their faces in bags of wheat and cookie wraps are those that make flood policies.”
However, he declared that the PPP continued to grant Maryam Nawaz the respect he deserved.
“Maryam Nawaz is like our sister: we respect her as one would respect her sister or daughter. He had no bad will against anyone and that this war war is not destined to belittle any side.
“Sorry or not reduce your stature, it’s not about Egos,” Memon said, referring to Maryam Nawaz’s refusal to apologize for his comments.
“Our criticism is only destined to make their deficiencies see. Maryam Nawaz does not apologize is not a big problem, it is not who wins or loses. The Federal Law Minister has already apologized.”
However, he called her comments on “break the fingers of critics” unpleasant.
Memon said that the true performance test lies in the votes, and in the 2024 elections, “people have already given their verdict,” a veiled mockery in the PML-N for being the “selection of the establishment.”
He added: “If someone has doubts, I am ready to give up: we can have a re -election and see where we are standing. They can also give up and we will know our value.” He said that the next elections of the local body would further reveal the popularity of each party.
Memon said he was ready to answer point by point in an open debate on any platform of his choice, but urged the Punjab government to “focus on governance instead of executing campaigns.”
The Minister of Information and Culture of Punjab, Azma Bukhari, responded strongly to the statement of Sharjeel Memon, accepting his challenge for a live debate. “I accept your debate challenge: time and place will be of your choice, but you must come yourself. Do not hide behind any power,” he said.
Azma said that the “dirty politics” narrative of PPP and Memon about the victims of Punjab’s flood had completely failed, and now they had resorted to a “Phuphay Kutni” style attack on the prime minister.
“Does the prime minister tell you to play politics in Punjab’s misery?” She asked.
She said that the president of the PPP, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, during his term as Minister of Foreign Affairs, “worked to weaken the roots of his own party, the federal government and the prime minister, and the nation clearly remembers it.”
Azma accused the PPP of conspiracy against Punjab and the Federation, saying that “when asked about their own performance, they immediately begin to play the provincialism card.”
She criticized the repeated use of the PPP of the South Punjab and the BISP cards, calling it “dirt, not political.” He said that South Punjab today was more developed than many parts of the Sindh interior, however, the PPP continued to push an anti-punjab narrative.
He pointed out that Bilawal, his Aseefa sister and the leadership of the PPP “are constantly addressed to Punjab when they talk about Bisp, but claim that they are talking to the Federation.”
Azma said that every time problems such as Karachi’s garbage crisis, broken roads or corruption in solar projects, the PPP hides behind “linguistic slogans and Marsoon Marsoon” are raised.
“Stop interfering with Punjab’s affairs and you don’t act innocent,” he said.
She accused the PPP of “blackmailing the Federation and Punjab through paid threats and protests,” saying: “Who are you to dictate Punjab? Keep your tips and deadlines in your pocket.”
Bukhari said that Punjab’s local government elections would be “transparent and driven by people, unlike the false elections held in Karachi.”
When commenting on the water problem, he said: “Your slogan of ‘My water, my choice’ is exactly as ‘Marsoon Marsoon, pani na desoon’. You cannot cry on the water day and night and then dictate how Punjab should use it, that would not happen.”
She said that if the PPP did not fear the growing popularity of Maryam Nawaz, “they would not have felt the need to hold a press conference on a vacation.”
Azma questioned whether the PPP or the government of Sindh had even contributed to a single penny to the victims of flooding of Punjab: “No … in case they sent teasing and organized a show about their misery.”
She emphasized that “this is Punjab, not Sindh, where the work that has been completed in other places in a matter of days.” He added that the compensation controls had already begun to reach the victims of the flood whose surveys were completed.
“Those who receive relief are praying for Maryam Nawaz and thanking him. He tries to look at Punjab without the hate lens and prejudice,” he concluded.
According to reports, the sources say that to prevent matters from being out of control, the PPP media managers implemented a new policy: only leadership at the provincial level would respond to Azma Bukhari
