PMLN seeks to allay PPP’s budget concerns

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz-led federal coalition government has launched extensive efforts to allay concerns of an important ally, the Pakistan Peoples Party after party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari warned at a public meeting a day earlier he would not support the budget approval if promised funds were not provided for flood victims in Sindh.

PMLN’s Federal Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal made it clear in a Geo News programme as well as at a ceremony in Narowal on Sunday that the coalition partners were consulted on every stage of preparation of the federal budget and its approval by the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting.

He said the 2023-24 federal budget was tabled in the National Assembly with the consent of Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah.

Responding to Bilawal’s warning in a conversation with Geo News, the minister said the PPP-backed Sindh CM’s objections over the budget were removed by the economic team. He questioned why objections were being raised now when the budget was approved with consensus in the National Economic Council meeting. Similarly, he said the federal cabinet also approved the budget.

Ahsan Iqbal said some funds were also increased in the budget on the demand of CM Murad and added that most of the Rs80 billion funds for flood victims were given to Sindh. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the planning minister said, they were trying to make all decisions with allies with consensus. He said the input of all allies was included in preparation of the budget.

The senior PMLN leader warned that opening of any new front by the coalition partners would only weaken the government and would not benefit any party.

Referring to Bilawal Bhutto’s speech in Swat, Ahsan Iqbal said that coalition partners’ criticism of each other would cause uncertainty in the country and the ruling coalition could not afford it at this stage. He said whatever concerns the PPP had could be resolved through discussion in the cabinet meeting. He made it clear to the PPP leadership that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had always given the allies importance and sought their input on all crucial issues.

Meanwhile, caretaker Punjab CM Mohsin Naqvi met former president and PPP Co-chairman Asif Zardari in Dubai, who underwent an eye operation there recently. According to the sources, Naqvi left for Dubai three or four days ago and visited the former president. Sources say the former president also spoke about the concerns of PPP leaders during the meeting. However, caretaker Information Minister Punjab Amir Mir said he did not know about the caretaker chief minister’s meeting with Asif Zardari.

Meanwhile, sources said the PMLN and PPP leaders would meet here on Monday (today) to discuss and settle their differences regarding the financial issues.

The meeting, which is likely to be chaired by PM Shehbaz Sharif and attended by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari among others, is being termed crucial because the PPP leaders have been criticising the budgetary allocations lately. The first meeting in this regard between the two political parties, also presided over by the premier, took place earlier this week, but the PPP chairman was unable to attend it.