THE alliance between the PML-N and PPP is in disarray. What began as a public spat over flood relief efforts in Punjab has snowballed into a full-blown confrontation between the two political parties, disrupting the functioning of parliament and, possibly, threatening the future of the coalition.
On Monday, both Houses of Parliament were forced to adjourn without transacting any business after PPP legislators staged walkouts in protest against the combative rhetoric of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, and the unsavoury remarks of her information minister against the party’s top leadership.
Ms Nawaz sees the PPP’s proposal to use the BISP network for assisting flood-affected populations in Punjab as an act of interference. She has also accused the party of exploiting the floods to gain political mileage. At the same time, she is using the rift to stir up nationalist sentiments in Punjab by reviving talk on the controversial canal-building project opposed by Sindh.
Her remarks appear to have touched a raw nerve within the PPP, which has responded with equal force. Its leaders have demanded an apology from the Punjab chief minister, warning the PML-N not to take their support in Islamabad for granted. PPP leader Sherry Rehman aptly reminded the coalition partner that “a coalition cannot be run by insulting others”.
With both sides trading barbs over flood relief efforts and the contentious canal project, routine legislative work is suffering amid repeated quorum disruptions and adjournments since the start of the current parliamentary session on Sept 29.
What makes this episode particularly troubling is its timing. The country is still reeling from the impact of the recent floods, and millions await help for recovery. Such a moment demands maturity from the ruling parties. Instead, their escalating hostilities threaten to further erode interprovincial harmony and weaken the federation itself. It is time both sides stepped back lest their feud spiral out of control.
Therefore, President Asif Zardari’s decision to mediate between the warring parties through the interior minister is a welcome step. Yet, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s alleged decision to back his daughter’s combative stance — apparently disregarding Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s request for his help in defusing the tension — is likely to exacerbate the rift. The question now is whether President Zardari can rescue this marriage of convenience, which is being consumed by mutual distrust, while Nawaz Sharif chooses to look the other way.
Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2025
