ISLAMABAD: As the federal government makes efforts to win back its disgruntled ruling partner, the second round of talks between the PML-N and PPP ended without any positive development, with both sides expected to meet again on Dec 24 or 25.

The meeting took place in the chambers of the National Assembly speaker and the PPP decided to stick to its demand regarding the implementation of a written agreement between the two parties. Ishaq Dar and Speaker Ayaz Sadiq represented the government while Raja Pervez Ashraf, Naveed Qamar, and Syed Kursheed Shah represented the PPP.

After the meeting, the PPP delegation presented a report to the PPP chairman about the progress of talks with the government. Sources said the two sides will meet again on December 24 or 25 ahead of the PPP Central Executive Committee’s meeting on Dec 26 in which the outcome of these talks will be tabled for a final nod from the top brass.

A senior PPP leader said one of the major issues raised by the PPP was regarding the water share of Sindh which, the PPP believed, could be curtailed due to a plan by the federal government to carve out six canals from Indus River to irrigate Cholistan. He said all political and nationalist parties in Sindh were raising a hue and cry on the federal government’s decision regarding new canals.

The PPP believed that the federal government should have brought the issue of the proposed Cholistan canals to the Council of Common Interests (CCI) to take all stakeholders on board. The PPP urged the government to convene a CCI meeting as soon as possible, lamenting that the meeting of the body had not taken place for the last 180 days.

Both parties to meet again ahead of PPP’s CEC meeting on 26th

A PPP source said Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari complained that the ruling PML-N did not take the PPP on board in the decision-making process and he even withdrew his name from the judicial commission formed under the 26th Amendment.

The PPP chief had lamented that the government had backtracked on its promises by not ensuring equal representation of the ruling PML-N and the PPP in the judicial commission. Since the formation of the PML-N-led government following the Feb 2024 general elections, it is for the first time a breach has become visible between two main coalition partners.

The PML-N formed its government with the support of the PPP, the third-largest party in the National Assembly. If the PPP withdraws its support, the PML-N government will not last even for a day. Although the PPP is not part of the government, it has obtained many constitutional offices in return for extending its support to the Shehbaz-led government.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2024