PM to meet Bilawal soon over ongoing escalation b/w PPP, PML-N: Sources

ISLAMABAD: The matter of escalation between the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has reached to President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, ARY News reported citing sources.

Sources said that a major meet-up likely to happen between the leadership of the two key coalition partner of the government in the next two days.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would call on President Asif Zardari soon, the sources said.

The sources from the PML-N apprised that the premier also requested his elder brother and the President of party, Nawaz Sharif to play his role.

No progress has been made during the talks between the PPP and PML-N delegation today, the sources said.

On the other hand, the PPP sources said that the PPP walk out from Senate and the National Assembly is a message to the government.

Earlier, the negotiations between the government and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) at speaker chamber ended without any result.

Prime Minister aide on political affairs and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sana Ullah apprised that the PPP would continue protest and walk out from the parliament.

Rana Sana Ullah informed that a meeting between President Asif Zardari and the premier was set for today but owing to the PM visit to Malaysia the meeting is not happening today.

The PM would talk on the PPP reservations after returning to his Malaysia visit, the PM aide said.

He clarified that the PPP has not demanded an apology from Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz.

The two coalition ruling parties have been passing statements against each other for weeks over an issue of provision of aid to the flood affected people of Punjab through Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) and seeking aid from the world donors for the worst floods in the history of Punjab.

Earlier in the day, President PML-N Nawaz Sharif has backed Maryam Nawaz in the ongoing row between the People’s Party and the Punjab government, sources said.

According to sources, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a meeting with the former prime minister, talked about the dispute and said that if Maryam Nawaz avoids harsh statements, the People’s Party will also observe ceasefire.

Nawaz Sharif, however, backed daughter Maryam Nawaz and said that the “Punjab chief minister’s statements are a reaction to the People’s Party’s undue criticism. Maryam Nawaz has truly represented the people of Punjab,” Nawaz Sharif told the prime minister.

“A scathing press conference by Sindh’s Information Minister Sharjeel Memon on Sunday and criticism of CM Punjab was after Nawaz Sharif’s support to Maryam”, sources shared.

The row between two political allies has further heats up after it, sources added.

Earlier, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari made it clear that CM Maryam Nawaz won’t apologize to anyone for her statement.

Reacting to the demand of PPP for apology, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari said Maryam Nawaz would not apologize for her remarks during a recent public gathering.

She also referred to the Cholistan water canal issue, saying Punjab stepped back despite protests from Sindh. “PPP should focus on its own work and let PML-N do its job,” she asserted.

Bukhari strongly rejected calls for an apology from the Punjab CM. “Why should Maryam Nawaz apologize for working for the rights of Punjabis? People praise Lahore’s development, they should turn Karachi into Europe too.

In Sindh, people wish they had a CM like Maryam Nawaz,” she said.