Shehbaz-Bilawal call sparks hopes of reconciliation
• Insiders say truce appears to be more like a ‘pact of silence’ than complete ceasefire
• Observers see ‘calculated political strategy’ behind PML-N’s use of ‘Punjab card’
KARACHI: After high-level engagement between the PML-N and PPP, an emerging thaw has temporarily paused the political firestorm between the two parties.
A phone call between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday further sparked hopes of reconciliation, although sources suggest the truce appeared to be temporary — more like a ‘pact of silence’ rather than a complete ceasefire.
According to insiders, the tensions that ignited the dispute are still simmering beneath the surface.
A brief statement issued by Bilawal House confirmed that PM Shehbaz called Mr Bhutto-Zardari. The two discussed the “current political situation, floods, and foreign policy”, it added.
However, there was no official readout from the PM Office regarding the conversation.
A day earlier, a PML-N delegation including Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq had met President Zardari at his residence in Nawabshah, where Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi was also in attendance.
Although the intensity of the growing divide between the two sides appears to have significantly diminished following these high-level engagements, sources say the underlying disagreements remain.
A clear indication of this lingering discontent is PPP’s decision to continue its boycott of the Senate session on Thursday, underscoring the impression that the party’s grievances have yet to be fully addressed.
In the PML-N’s view, the dispute between the two parties was sparked when the PPP targeted Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, which PML-N viewed as crossing a line.
The PPP, on the other hand, felt their suggestion of using the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) for flood relief was unfairly criticised.
‘Punjab card’
Another growing perception within PPP ranks is that the PML-N onslaught is not a spontaneous reaction, but rather a calculated political strategy.
“It appears that Maryam Bibi [Nawaz] is positioning her party as the sole representative of Punjab by playing the ethnic card,” said a senior PPP leader, suggesting that the Punjab chief minister was attempting to counter “PTI’s popularity” in her province by using the “Punjab card” with targeted criticism of the PPP as part of that strategy.
Analysts do not entirely dismiss this perception. Author and political analyst Ali Usman Qasmi believes these are very “interesting developments”, noting that this may be the first time such a political approach is being adopted from Punjab’s side.
“Forget about a major political leader from Punjab, even a relatively unknown political worker or intellectual could not have made such statements in the past,” he said. “And I think this coming all from the chief minister of Punjab means a lot.”
Mr Qasmi believes that the PML-N’s recent rhetoric, emphasising a Punjabi identity, is a response to multiple pressures — both political and social.
One key factor, he argues, is the rising visibility of ethnic minorities, especially Pakhtuns and Baloch, in Punjab, which has created anxieties. This rising tension could be driving an environment in which ethnic symbolism is deliberately employed to consolidate support.
“One could say that perhaps PML-N sees this as an opportunity to capitalise on this sentiment and get some political mileage out of it,” he said.
Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2025
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