File photo of a meeting between PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman; PMLN President Shahbaz Sharif; and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari
The long-simmering animosity between the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and Pakistan Peoples Party as the two biggest ruling coalition partners has come to a head, with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari—also the foreign minister—aggressively accusing his party’s rival of not providing enough funds for floor rehabilitation in Sindh. His tone was offensive and sounded like a warning, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif responding with a pledge of more funds. Subsequently, Bhutto-Zardari retreated and said there were no differences between the partners in power. However, it has set the stage for the upcoming election campaign, wherein it is largely expected the PMLN and PPP will revert to form, attacking each other ahead of polls, as mutual foe PTI is sidelined.
The PPP and PMLN will certainly clash over Punjab, once a stronghold of the former before being swept up by the latter. A recent report suggested the PPP in Punjab is not pleased with the interim provincial government, accusing it of “favoring” the PMLN and ignoring its demands. A recent visit to provincial capital Lahore by former president Asif Ali Zardari, aimed at reviving the PPP in Punjab, did little to address this, even as the city was adorned with party flags “welcoming” him.
Another battle played out at the Pakistan Cricket Board, with former journalist Najam Sethi—appointed by the PMLN—being forced to step aside to make way for the PPP’s candidate, Zaka Ashraf, who defended the move as being its “right” because it has the sports ministry. Adding to the PMLN’s woes is the perception that it will face a tough time in Punjab because of the PTI’s popularity, a fact the PPP hopes to capitalize on. These are all signals of what will come as the country moves closer to election. With Imran Khan “sorted,” there is little chance of the PPP-PMLN partnership surviving beyond the next polls.