ISLAMABAD, October 19 — The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Saturday announced it will give its ruling coalition partner, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), more time to meet its demands, particularly over the disbursement of flood relief and the use of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).
The decision followed a meeting of the PPP Central Executive Committee (CEC), held on the 18th anniversary of the 2007 Karsaz bombing. Senior PPP leaders, including Senator Sherry Rehman, Sharjeel Inam Memon, and Nadeem Afzal Chan, briefed the media after the meeting.
Rehman reiterated the party’s stance on using BISP as the primary mechanism for flood relief, citing its proven transparency and effectiveness during the 2022 floods. “If someone’s doorstep has been washed away, we can still reach them — directly into their account,” she said, urging the federal government to release the first tranche of aid immediately.
Tensions between the coalition partners escalated last month after PPP criticised the Punjab government, led by PML-N, for sidelining federal relief mechanisms and politicising assistance efforts. The dispute deepened further when PML-N leaders called for an overhaul of BISP, prompting PPP walkouts from parliamentary sessions.
The PPP has also raised other demands, including reforms in Punjab’s local government elections, action on rising energy prices, and the import of crops to stabilize food markets.
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According to Nadeem Afzal Chan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has agreed in principle to all demands, calling them “logical and justified” during a recent meeting with PPP leadership. “The prime minister said these are the people’s issues and requested time,” Chan said.
The PPP has now chosen to delay any final decision on its political future until the next CEC meeting, expected in a few months. “Our demands remain. These are public issues,” Chan emphasized.
As coalition tensions ease for now, all eyes remain on how quickly and effectively the PML-N leadership responds to PPP’s conditions in the lead-up to the next parliamentary session.
