KARACHI: As the political temperature between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) continues to rise, with both sides trading barbs over the rehabilitation of flood victims, President Asif Ali Zardari held a telephonic conversation with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to discuss the growing tension between the Sindh and Punjab governments.
The presidency said President Zardari contacted Mohsin Naqvi over the matter and summoned him to Karachi immediately.
A post on X from the presidency said, “President Asif Ali Zardari spoke to Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi over the phone to discuss the recent tensions between the Sindh and Punjab governments. The President has called the Interior Minister to Karachi for an urgent meeting in this regard.”
President Asif Ali Zardari spoke to Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi over the phone to discuss the recent tensions between the Sindh and Punjab governments. The President has called the Interior Minister to Karachi for an urgent meeting in this regard.
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) October 6, 2025
The move came a day after Sindh’s Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon alleged during a press conference that the Punjab government was targeting the prime minister under the guise of criticising the Sindh government, and that efforts were being made to create an atmosphere where the PPP would withdraw its support for the federal government.
Responding to Memon’s remarks, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said, “Are you so naïve that you don’t see the Punjab government trying to push you into conspiring against the federal government? And are you not becoming part of it?” She questioned whether the prime minister had instructed him to “play politics over the flood victims in Punjab.”
On September 25, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had criticised the federal government during a press conference in Karachi, saying that helping flood victims should not have been turned into an issue of ego.
“For reasons of pride or something else, a wrong decision has been made,” he said, urging the federal government to review its policy and provide relief to flood victims through the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).
The former foreign minister further stated that the federal government should have sought international assistance after the floods.
“If you are spending Rs100 today, you could have spent Rs200 had the global community supported you. With international assistance, you could have helped twice as many victims,” he said.
In response, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said she did not need anyone’s permission to serve the people. “BISP is not the only solution for everything, and the practice of begging must come to an end,” she remarked.
She added, “If you do something for Sindh, I’m happy for you, but at least do something. In Punjab, we built the metro, Orange Line, and motorways — laid networks of roads. What objection do you have to that?”
On September 30, during a National Assembly session chaired by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, the PPP staged a walkout to protest against Maryam Nawaz’s remarks.
PPP leader Naveed Qamar had said, “We don’t want ministries or positions, but we deserve at least some respect. If things continue like this, we will move to the opposition benches, as it is becoming difficult to sit on the treasury benches under these circumstances.”
Earlier, PPP and PML-N leaders agreed to resolve issues through dialogue and mutual understanding.
On Monday, PPP staged a walkout from both the Senate and National Assembly sessions, demanding that the PML-N leadership apologise for making statements against its top leaders.