- Both leaders in telephone conversation review current political climate, agree on the need for continued dialogue
- Zardari had met PML-N delegation in Nawabshah yesterday following ‘war of words’ flood relief and water rights between Sindh and Punjab
- Bilawal summons emergency party session to review coalition ties
ISLAMABAD: Amid efforts to patch up differences between coalition partners, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari held a telephone conversation on Thursday to discuss the country’s prevailing political situation, foreign policy, and the deepening row between their two parties.
The PPP, confirming the call in a post on X, said both leaders discussed the current political climate and agreed on the need for continued dialogue. The outreach comes as the PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)—main partners in the ruling coalition — have been embroiled in an increasingly public spat over flood aid distribution, water rights, and governance issues.
پاکستان پیپلزپارٹی کے چیئرمین بلاول بھٹو زرداری کو وزیراعظم شہباز شریف کا فون
چیئرمین بلاول بھٹو زرداری اور وزیراعظم شہباز شریف کے درمیان موجودہ سیاسی صورت حال، سیلاب اور خارجہ پالیسی پر بات چیت@BBhuttoZardari @CMShehbaz
— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) October 9, 2025
In recent weeks, leaders from both sides have traded barbs through daily press briefings, each accusing the other of politicising relief operations for flood victims. The dispute has widened to include arguments over water sharing on the Indus River, further straining relations between the two parties.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif added fuel to the fire last week, declaring at a rally that she would not apologize for her remarks against the PPP and urging the party leadership to “keep its advice to itself.” She accused the PPP of “wrongful criticism” of the Punjab government’s flood response.
The PPP—which governs Sindh—retaliated sharply, staging walkouts from the National Assembly and Senate sessions to protest what it termed “unwarranted attacks” by PML-N leaders.
Amid rising tempers, both Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari have moved to ease tensions. The president, sources said, has held several quiet consultations and asked Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to assist in reconciling the two allies.
A key development came on Wednesday night, when a PML-N delegation—comprising Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq—flew to Nawabshah aboard a special plane to meet President Zardari. Naqvi was also present at the meeting.
Although both sides refrained from disclosing details of the discussions, political observers said the meeting reflected concerns at the highest level about the deteriorating relationship between the coalition partners. Insiders suggested that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif personally endorsed the move after Shehbaz convinced him that reconciliation was essential to prevent political instability.
Prior to the Nawabshah visit, background discussions with senior PPP and PML-N leaders indicated that the rift was “anything but scripted,” prompting urgent efforts to defuse tensions before they deepen further.
Meanwhile, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has convened an emergency meeting of the PPP’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) today to review the situation. Senior leaders will join via Zoom as the party deliberates its future course and assesses whether to revisit its cooperation with the PML-N at the Centre and in Punjab.
The move follows the PPP’s announcement that its CEC meeting would be held on October 18 — coinciding with the anniversary of the 2007 Karsaz bombing, an event of deep symbolic significance for the party. Observers believe the date could foreshadow a major political statement.
As a mark of protest, the PPP has decided to boycott the Punjab Assembly’s session, with Syed Ali Haider Gillani, the party’s parliamentary leader, instructing members to stay away from proceedings until further notice.
Despite speculation that the rift may push the PPP to reconsider its alliance, most insiders believe that the coalition will endure, as key stakeholders in both parties remain committed to maintaining political stability amid growing national challenges.
