'PML-N also riding same-page horse'

Express Tribune

23-04-2025

In yet another political crossfire, Punjab information minister turned the guns on coalition partner PPP on Tuesday, this time pushing back against Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah's concerns about Punjab's farmers, advising the party to look in their own backyard before pointing fingers.
Reacting to the unrelenting criticism by members of the ruling party despite PPP being a key player in the coalition setup, PPP Information Secretary Nadeem Afzal Chan accused the PML-N of riding high on the "same-page-equation" horse just like the PTI once did. He claimed this was the reason PML-N showed little regard for a numerically commanding ally in the current setup.
"As had happened to those on the throne before them, time would make them swallow their pride," he said. However, Chan remained optimistic that the issue regarding the canal would be resolved before things got out of hand.
However, if push came to shove, "in the coming ten days, they would know that PPP was ready to walk the talk".
When asked if quitting the coalition was the only card left in PPP's hand, he hinted otherwise. "The budget is around the corner, which would require their complete support. Before that, PML-N would resolve all pending issues."
Chan termed the continual onslaught against his party as a sign of the PML-N's immaturity. "We are democratic, and we want this system to function uninterrupted. However, unlike PML-N, we are not beneficiaries of this system," he said.
Earlier the same day, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari claimed Punjab's progress had become a thorn in the side of two provincial governments.
She said that Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah appeared to be more concerned about the farmers of Punjab than those in his own province.
The provincial information minister further asserted that Punjab's leadership was fully active in protecting and promoting the rights of Punjab's farmers, and that the province stood as a guardian of its agricultural community.
"Are there no farmers in Sindh? Has the Sindh government set an official price for wheat? Has it purchased wheat from its farmers?"
Azma's reaction came in response to Murad Ali Shah's recent press conference.
She added that Shah and his party had been in power in Sindh for the past sixteen years, and that it was time they reviewed their performance and gave the public an account of their governance.
She further accused Murad Ali Shah of supporting protestors who were blocking the main highway connecting Punjab and Sindh, calling it "deeply regrettable".
Highlighting Punjab's efforts, Azma Bokhari said that in just one year, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had provided historic packages worth Rs110 billion to farmers. These included the Kisan Card, the Green Tractor Scheme and modern agricultural equipment like the Super Seeder.