Islamabad (Republic PK) — The uneasy alliance between the PML-N and PPP reached a breaking point as the PPP once again walked out of both the National Assembly and Senate, demanding an apology over remarks it deemed offensive. The PML-N’s efforts to pacify its ally fell flat, while the PTI seized the opportunity to disrupt proceedings and taunt the government.
The National Assembly session, chaired by Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, turned tense when PPP’s Raja Pervaiz Ashraf raised a point of objection. Initially reluctant, the Speaker allowed him to speak after pressure from both benches. Ashraf defended his party’s stance, stressing that the PPP had never undermined national unity or shown provincial bias, and that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s remarks had been misrepresented. Following his speech, PPP members staged a walkout and pointed out the quorum, which PTI members later reinforced. With attendance falling short, the Deputy Speaker was forced to suspend and eventually adjourn the session until Thursday morning.
In the Senate, Deputy Chairman Syedal Khan presided over a similarly stormy sitting. PPP’s Sherry Rehman condemned the government’s rhetoric, linking it to the neglect of flood victims in Sindh and Punjab. She reiterated the party’s demand for an apology, warning that the PPP would not be taken lightly. PPP senators tore up the agenda and walked out, prompting Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar to issue a conciliatory statement, expressing regret and urging reconciliation.
Meanwhile, PTI Senator Ali Zafar launched a scathing attack on both the PPP and PML-N, accusing them of corruption and neglecting flood victims. He alleged that aid had been misappropriated while millions remained homeless and hungry. The session further unraveled when PTI and PML-N senators clashed verbally, with PTI members staging their own walkout after heated exchanges over quorum.
Adding to the turmoil, Senator Kamran Murtaza raised alarm over an attack on a court in Balochistan’s Kharan district, where the presiding officer was abducted. The Deputy Chairman deferred discussion on the matter to later sessions.
With repeated quorum disruptions, walkouts, and fiery exchanges, both houses of Parliament adjourned without progress. The political standoff now threatens to derail legislative business, as the PPP hardens its stance and the PTI positions itself to exploit the rift between government allies.