LAHORE: With a renewed push to sort out differences, the PML-N and PPP meeting on Sunday remained inconclusive as both sides agreed to hold another sitting this week.

The leaders of the two parties met at the Punjab Governor House and discussed issues relating to governance in Punjab.

It was the fifth sitting of the coordination committees of both parties and was held days after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari at the PM House.

The PML-N committee included Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, acting Punjab Governor Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, PM’s Advisor on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah and others.

The PPP delegation included Senate chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani, ex-prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Nadeem Afzal Chan, MPA Ali Haider Gilani and PPP Punjab General Secretary Syed Hassan Murtaza.

Two sides agree to hold talks twice a month to resolve differences

While talking to media after the meeting, Mr Murtaza said the two sides agreed to form a sub-committee for deliberation on the issues pertaining to law and order situation in the province, allocation of funds for subsidised electricity tariff, and unemployment.

Mr Sanaullah will give the names of PML-N leaders to be included in the sub-committee, while Mr Ashraf will name his party’s representatives.

He said the gulf between the PPP and PML-N was “not wide enough” for both parties to part ways.

Replying to a question about PPP’s criticism over the Punjab government’s plan to subsidise electricity for two months, Mr Murtaza said his party’s issue was that it was a “short-term relief” for which Rs50 billion had been allocated.

The money could have been used in a better way, the PPP leader said without giving more details.

Mr Sanaullah, who was part of the PML-N team, said issues being faced by the PPP in Punjab did come under discussion in a “cordial atmosphere”.

There were no talks about the posting of district police officers or deputy commissioners during the meeting, he added.

He added that the coordination committees would now meet fortnightly to sort out differences and ensure better communication.

Mr Murtaza, the PPP leader, also denied that his party sought ministries in the Punjab cabinet or wanted a say in the appointment of police and administration officers in the districts where the party’s candidate won the general elections.

Meanwhile, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari has censured Mr Murtaza for criticising the power subsidy programme even as his party was holding talks with the government.She said Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif had allocated Rs400bn for the construction of roads and approved Rs1.5 million house-building loans for the homeless.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2024