As Imran Khan remains a pivotal factor uniting the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PMLN) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the governance approach of Maryam Nawaz is causing discontent within Bilawal Bhutto’s faction.
As per the reporting of a private news outlet, there are concerns about fiscal policies troubling the PPP, but a major grievance is about Punjab, where they claim to lack the political leeway promised when they agreed to support the PML-N in forming the government.
Insiders report that the PPP is demanding its fair share of appointments within the administrative sectors of Punjab, particularly in regions where it holds parliamentary influence. Nonetheless, Maryam Nawaz is resistant to adjusting bureaucratic roles based on political endorsements.
The Punjab Chief Minister has explicitly informed party MPs that political meddling in the civil service and police affairs is intolerable. This stance has not only left several PML-N MPs uneasy but has also greatly agitated PPP representatives from Punjab, both from the National and Provincial Assemblies.
Questions linger on whether Maryam Nawaz will permit PPP legislators from Punjab to appoint preferred officials in their districts. A member of the Nawaz league doubts such allowances by the chief minister.
While the budget issues raised by the PPP on Wednesday did capture media attention, they are not deemed critical and are unlikely to jeopardize the Shehbaz Sharif administration.
Despite ongoing disagreements, including those concerning Punjab, dialogues suggest that the PPP will maintain support for the Shehbaz government to counteract Imran Khan’s political style.
Khan’s continuous critique of the military leadership actually fortifies the Shehbaz administration and helps to bridge the gaps between the PML-N and PPP despite their differences.
For influential parties, any significant disruption in the current government or a rift between the PML-N and PPP could inadvertently empower Imran Khan and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). There are suggestions that hidden elements might also prevent a split between the two major parties.
After the February 8 elections, the PPP chose to join the ruling benches but did not participate in the Shehbaz Sharif cabinet. However, it secured significant positions such as the presidency, chairman of the Senate, deputy speaker of the National Assembly, and two governorships, committing to the stability of the government.
