PML-N solo stance on key issues frustrates PPP

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday expressed his disappointment to Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif over lack of progress on an agreement reached earlier regarding issues being faced by the two allies in Punjab, stressing that absence of consultation on key issues was straining their alliance.

The PPP chairman also conveyed his concerns on inflation and the issues in the power sector, especially relief being provided to consumers in one province only - Punjab - when the whole country was feeling the brunt of inflated power bills, saying the federal government has to play a crucial role when it comes to dealing with key national issues.

The details emerged after the PPP chairman called on the prime minister at the PM House to discuss the ongoing friction between the PPP and the PML-N, non-implementation of the Punjab agreement, sidelining PPP especially in Punjab and overall political and economic situation in the country.

"The PPP has expressed its concerns that it is not being consulted or taken into confidence on key issues," PPPP spokesperson Shazia Marri told The Express Tribune, saying "non-consultation has emerged as a major concern." Time and again, the PPPP leader said, party has conveyed its concerns but from budget to issues in Punjab, PML-N's response isn't satisfactory.

Marri recalled that PML-N completely sidelined the PPPP during the budget preparation, adding by doing so it violated the agreement reached between the two sides post elections. In addition, she said, the issues earlier agreed regarding Punjab haven't yet been addressed.

PPPP had earlier linked its support to the PML-N on budget and other issues with PPPP getting more share in Punjab and Punjab government. In addition to getting "some space" in the province and Punjab set-up, the PPPP wanted more development budget for its lawmakers in Punjab.

While demanding that the administration should operate freely and fairly, the major ally of the federal government had also demanded that local bodies' elections be held in the province without much delay. In addition, the PPPP had asked PML-N governments in the Center and Punjab that previous development schemes should continue to be funded in the current budget instead of abandoning them.

"Greater consultation is required on all issues," Marri emphasized, saying PPP has worked on different things and PPP chairman shared party's proposals with PM Shehbaz during Thursday meeting. "To give better relief you need to have better consultation," Marri said, adding that PPP believes that providing temporary relief doesn't resolve the issues.

"Ensuring equality is important too when dealing with crucial issues like providing relief in power bills," she said, saying the tariffs should be decreased for all and things shouldn't be done just for optics. The government and its allies should be working on sustainable solutions, she said.

Though in alliance, the two major parties of the coalition government have not been on same page over government's policies for quite some time. Thursday meeting has also come against the backdrop of leaders from both the parties exchanging hot words over different issues before the leadership from both sides intervened and stopped from issuing statements against each other.

A PMLN leader while requesting anonymity shared with the Express Tribune that the government is going for some crucial legislation in the coming days and the same was discussed in the meeting between PPP and PMLN leadership. While refusing to share more details about it, he said that a session of the National Assembly was being called in next week.

In addition, he said that it has been decided that the coordination committees of both the parties will meet at Governor House in Lahore by Sunday where the issues raised by PPP would be deliberated upon, saying hopefully they will be resolved soon.

Meanwhile, an official statement following the meeting said Bilawal and PPP delegation met with PM Shehbaz and PML-N leaders. PM Shehbaz said that the PMLN was working together with allied parties for the development and prosperity of the country. In the meeting, it said, the overall political situation of the country was discussed.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazir Tarar, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, National Assembly members Raja Parvez Ashraf, Naveed Qamar and Senator Sherry Rehman attended in the meeting.