Tahir Maqsood Chheena
Less than a year after the disputed February elections, the fragile alliance between Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) that sidelined former Prime Minister Imran Khan and formed a coalition government is already showing significant signs of strain. Despite the coalition’s efforts to maintain a united front, cracks are beginning to surface, revealing a deeper political rift that has been growing beneath the surface for some time.
The recent events that have made these tensions more visible began with a meeting at the Governor’s Annexe in Punjab House, Islamabad, where the public received nothing more than a brief press release. The release, issued solely by one party, contained only a list of attendees from both sides without offering any substantial details. This lack of transparency and clarity about the meeting’s discussions set off alarms for journalists, who, with growing political awareness among the public, immediately sensed a story brewing. News outlets soon reported what seemed to be the first visible breach between the two primary coalition partners since the PML-N-led government was formed. However, the reality is that this “breach” has been building for a while, and its public emergence is merely the latest manifestation of longstanding disagreements.
While both the PPP and PML-N have attempted to keep their internal divisions from spilling into the public domain, social media and the media at large have been quick to expose the simmering tensions. The PPP, for instance, has been compiling a growing list of grievances against its coalition partner, frustrations that have been festering in the background. These grievances cover a wide range of issues, from the allocation of resources to key policy decisions and representation within the government. For instance, the PPP has expressed dissatisfaction over its lack of representation in the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), where it feels sidelined in judicial appointments. Additionally, the party has raised concerns about its workers in Punjab, claiming that PML-N has not provided them with a level playing field in the province.
Another major issue that has caused friction within the coalition is PML-N’s habit of making key decisions without consulting its partners, including rushing through legislation in Parliament. These decisions have often left the PPP feeling marginalized and excluded from the decision-making process. Moreover, the recent internet slowdown, which has disrupted the country’s digital landscape, has raised alarms about its potential impact on foreign investment in Pakistan, with PPP expressing deep concerns over this policy move.
However, one of the most contentious issues that has sparked serious disagreement is the proposed construction of six canals on the Indus River in the Cholistan area. The PPP has voiced strong objections to this project, claiming that it could render large swaths of land in Sindh “completely barren.” This concern has been underscored by ongoing protests in Sindh, where local communities have mobilized against the project. PPP leaders have drawn attention to these protests, urging PML-N to reconsider the impact of the canals on the region’s agricultural livelihood and environmental sustainability.
Beyond these specific issues, longstanding disagreements between the two parties over the allocation of resources are also resurfacing. The PPP has repeatedly complained in the past about the lack of adequate financial resources from the central government, particularly when it comes to the allocation of funds for development projects in its strongholds. These grievances were common during the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government, where similar accusations were leveled against the ruling party for not fairly distributing resources.
It is in this context of growing frustration that Ishaq Dar, a senior leader in the PML-N, had previously assured Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the PPP’s leader, that the two parties would come together to address their differences. However, this promise, like many others, now appears to have been broken. This is not surprising, as the alliance between PPP and PML-N has always been more about political survival than shared ideology or long-term cooperation. The main goal of this coalition government was to keep Imran Khan and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), out of power. This common objective served as the glue that held the two parties together in the aftermath of the 2022 elections. Yet, as is often the case with such opportunistic partnerships, the cracks in their alliance have become more pronounced over time.
The current state of affairs is not unexpected. When two parties with a history of bitter rivalry come together for a shared political purpose, the foundation of their alliance is inherently fragile. Both PPP and PML-N have been dominant forces in Pakistani politics for decades, taking turns at ruling the country, but also engaging in intense political warfare, often involving persecution and prosecution of one another’s leaders. These longstanding animosities were never truly buried, and the nature of the coalition government means that these tensions were always likely to resurface eventually.
At this juncture, it seems that the only way forward for both parties is to engage in serious negotiations, and it will be up to the senior leaders in both parties to take the reins. Both PPP and PML-N have seasoned political veterans who have weathered many storms in the past, and they will now need to put their experience to use in managing the growing rift. The PPP, in particular, has played a key role in facilitating the PML-N-led government, and its top leadership, particularly former President Asif Ali Zardari, has a long history of political maneuvering that has allowed his party to extract significant concessions from its allies. Zardari has previously warned that the PPP knows how to both form and break governments, a reminder that the party’s political strength should not be underestimated.
However, while the two parties are likely to come to some sort of agreement, there is a risk that the PPP may overreach in its demands, further deepening the divide. For the moment, both parties must realize that their increasingly visible differences will weaken not only the coalition government but also Pakistan itself, at a time when the country is facing significant economic and political challenges. The political instability caused by a fracturing coalition could further destabilize the nation, which is already grappling with issues such as rising inflation, a struggling economy, and internal security concerns.
For now, the focus should be on maintaining the fragile marriage of convenience between the PPP and PML-N, at least for a little while longer. Both parties have much to lose if their alliance collapses, and while their differences are becoming harder to hide, they must find a way to put the national interest above personal and party grievances. If they fail to do so, the consequences will be felt not just by them, but by the people of Pakistan, who are already bearing the brunt of an unstable political environment.
The future of the PPP-PML(N) coalition is uncertain, and only time will tell whether it can hold together long enough to address the country’s pressing challenges or whether it will unravel, plunging Pakistan deeper into political turmoil.
