Islamabad:
In what seemed to be a high -level intervention to calm political tensions between the governments of Sindh and Punjab, President Asif Ali Zardari convened on Monday to the Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Karachi for urgent consultations, said Express News.
The measure occurred as a war of words between the Pakistan-Nawaz Muslim League (PML-N), which Punjab governs, and the Popular Party of Pakistan (PPP), which governs Sindh, intensified more in both chambers of Parliament.
Both the Senate and the sessions of the National Assembly on Monday felt the heat of the current row on the distribution of the aid between the victims of the floods, since the legislators of the PPP organized a strike to protest “inappropriate” comments against the leadership of the party.
According to Express News, Interior Minister Naqvi flew to Karachi at night. Accompanied by Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, later he met Sindh’s Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, to offer condolences about his mother’s disappearance.
Citing official sources, Express News said that President Zardari held a telephone conversation with NAQVI and discussed the growing discord between the two provincial administrations. According to the reports, the president ordered Naqvi to arrive in Karachi immediately.
The disagreement between the two provincial governments is derived from the aid operations for the people affected by the floods, with Sindh and Punjab to criticize each other for the handling of the distribution of aid.
The Sindh government has insisted that the relief of floods must be channeled through the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), while the Punjab government, led by Prime Minister Maryam Nawaz, has refused to adopt the BISP mechanism.
As a result, the ministers of both provinces have been maintaining consecutive press conferences, exchanging acute words on the subject. But on Monday, the War of Words went beyond the media and entered both Chambers of Parliament.
PPP parliamentary leader, Sherry Rehman, raised the issue in the Senate, strongly criticizing the recent statements of Punjab Prime Minister. She warned that political confrontation was undermining national unity at a time when millions suffered due to floods.
“Instead of strengthening people, we are weakening them,” he said. “This war war is affecting the Federal Coalition,” he added, as he condemned the comments about the president of PPP, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and the first lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari.
Looking for an apology for inappropriate comments, Rehman said doing so would not decrease anyone’s dignity. After their speech, the PPP senators broke the agenda of the day and left the session in protest.
In response to his comments, the law minister, Azam Nazeer, Tarar, said that if someone’s words had caused an offense, it was unfortunate. “President Zardari is a main politician and will play a reconciliation role,” he said.
Meanwhile, the parliamentary leader of Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI), Barrímor Ali Zafar, joined the debate, criticizing both provincial governments. “People are dying in floods, while Sindh and Punjab leaders compete for photo sessions and press conferences,” he accused.
“The relief has not reached the victims, perhaps it has only reached their own pockets. This has become a contest that can celebrate more press conferences,” he said, claiming that any help that was given to the victims of the flood was “falling prey to corruption.”
Similar scenes were also seen in the National Assembly. The main leader of PPP, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, told the Chamber that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had not said anything against the Punjab government, but that the “irresponsible statements” came from the ruling party.
After their comments, PPP legislators left the assembly in protest. PTI Mna Asad Qaiser then took the floor, urging the PPP not to participate in “friendly fire.” He said: “Show some courage: Unique us to bring a motion of no trust. We do not play a staged game.”
