LAHORE:
Morale in the PPP camp appeared to lift following a coordination meeting with the PML-N, which concluded with assurances of addressing the party’s grievances in Punjab, with a follow-up meeting scheduled for April 12.
The two parties also agreed to form another four-member sub-committee that will meet weekly to review the progress, according to a PPP office bearer.
The nearly two-hour-long session, held at the Punjab Governor’s House and attended by senior leaders from both sides, ended on a positive note – unlike the previous meeting, which had reached a deadlock.
A party source credited PPP Co-Chairman and President Asif Ali Zardari for the progress, citing his call for the PML-N to refrain from unilateral decision-making during a joint session.
According to the source, while a few issues remain unresolved, the PML-N acknowledged most of the PPP’s concernseither offering assurances of resolution or committing to further discussions for workable solutions.
However, the PML-N did not accept the PPP’s demand for issuing funds to certain notables. It questioned how individuals who either did not contest elections or ran as independents could be considered PPP representatives. The issue, the source said, will be reviewed at the committee level.
Meanwhile, the PML-N agreed to resolve land-related matters for Punjab University’s Potohar Campus. The issue of discretionary funds, now placed in the background, was discussed, particularly in relation to allocations for PPP lawmakers.
The PPP acknowledged Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s performance but raised concerns over certain governance shortcomings. It pointed out that projects such as Suthra Punjab and model villages were primarily being executed in PML-N strongholds.
Coordination in South Punjab had already improved, while in Central Punjab, the PML-N assured the PPP of better collaboration.
According to a statement from the Governor’s House, both parties reaffirmed their commitment to working together and swiftly implementing public-interest projects. They also agreed to hold coordination meetings in the first week of every month, with the next session set for April 12.
The meeting also reviewed Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz’s welfare and development initiatives across the province.
The meeting was attended by key representatives from both the PPP and the PML-N. The PPP was represented by former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan, Nadeem Afzal Chan, Ali Haider Gillani, and Syed Hassan Murtaza
The PML-N delegation was led by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Other notable attendees included Rana Sanaullah, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Azam Nazeer Tarar, Mariyum Aurangzeb and Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan.
The party source revealed that a four-member subcommittee including Hasan Murtaza, Ali Haider Gillani from the PPP and Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan and Marriyum Aurangzeb from the PML-N was formed. The committee will review the progress every week.
He agreed that this was not the first time that a committee was formed by the two parties to resolve their differences but such a committee never became operational. He admitted that the PML-N had previously made similar assurances to the PPP but pointed out that this time, the political climate was different.
In a separate development, a party leader revealed that President Asif Ali Zardari will attend a Polo event in Lahore on Sunday. He said the president will attend an Iftar dinner at Nawab Shehzad’s residence after the event. He said they have not been made aware of any political meeting.
Before the coordination committee meeting, a provincial task committee meeting was held at the Governor’s House. The meeting was presided over by PPP Central Punjab President Raja Pervez Ashraf. The meeting mainly decided to bring changes in the Sheikhupura district.
