Leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) met on Wednesday to resolve rising tensions. The meeting was held in the chamber of National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in Islamabad. Key participants included Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Senator Rana Sanaullah, and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar from PML-N, while PPP was represented by Naveed Qamar and Ejaz Jakhrani.
During the meeting, Naveed Qamar conveyed serious concerns over recent remarks made by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. He urged that such statements should be avoided to maintain coalition harmony. PPP warned that harsh statements would only invite equally strong responses. This exchange reflected the recent spike in verbal clashes between the two political allies.
Read more: PPP demands Maryam Nawaz retract Punjab statements
Both parties, however, agreed to resolve all disagreements through mutual understanding. They recognised that continued conflict could damage their political cooperation. Sources confirmed that the meeting ended with a commitment to avoid further escalation. It was also decided that future issues would be handled with greater political maturity.
The friction began when PPP leaders, including Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, criticised the federal government for not using the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) to aid flood victims. They also urged the centre to seek international assistance. In response, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari rejected the proposal, saying BISP should not be politicised.
Read more: Azma defends Maryam, slams PPP for ‘politicising’ Punjab flood relief
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz further intensified the debate by stating that Punjab did not need approval from anyone to serve its people. She insisted Punjab had the right to manage its own resources and questioned the idea of relying solely on BISP. Her comments stirred strong reactions from PPP, prompting calls for dialogue—leading to this high-level meeting.