ISLAMABAD: Political tensions between Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are increasing day by day as the PPP has started to openly criticise the PML-N government’s policies.
According to the sources, the PPP started openly criticising the ruling PML-N to pressurise it for the benefit of the establishment so that it could easily mould or influence the government. The federal government does not stand without the support of the PPP due to the numerical strength.
However, according to the sources, the PML-N government is not responding harshly to the statements of the PPP leadership and has adopted a cool and calm policy. Moreover, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also takes President Asif Ali Zardari in confidence about important decisions, they added.
When the sources were asked if the PPP is using pressure tactics to get maximum share in the cabinet since Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to expand it, they said that the PPP does not want to join the cabinet so far. However, the PPP is enjoying the constitutional posts of the president, the chairman Senate, the deputy speaker National Assembly, two governors (Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and chairperson of the Benazir Income Support Program etc.
According to the sources, PPP leadership has authorised its leaders to publicly criticise the government’s decisions and directed them to challenge its policies, especially in federal and provincial governments.
PPP Spokesperson Shazia Marri, on Sunday, threatened the federal government in her statement that it would “collapse the day, the PPP withdraws support.”
The PPP was not taken into confidence regarding the decision to establish the Pakistan Maritime and Seaport Authority, Marri said in the statement.
Demanding that the meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) be convened forthwith, Marri said, the Constitution is being “constantly and openly violated.”
The sources said that the PPP leadership has reportedly issued detailed guidelines for its members, advising them to actively criticise the government’s ineffective and flawed policies.
They said, in line with these instructions, PPP has tasked its central and provincial leaders with focusing on the flaws in the federal government’s strategies and openly addressing them in the political arena.
This latest directive comes amid growing political tensions and suggests an intensifying battle for influence between the two major political parties.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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