Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Sunday challenged Punjab’s ministers to an open debate regarding their respective performance, as he accused the provincial government of trying to create divisions between the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the federal government.
In a post responding to Memon’s remarks, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari accepted the challenge. “You can choose the place and time—but do come yourself, not through a proxy,” she said, counter-accusing him of politicizing the plight of Punjab’s flood victims.
Addressing a press conference in Karachi, Memon alleged the Punjab government’s criticism of the PPP was a veiled attack on the federal government. “An attempt is being made to create an environment where the PPP withdraws its support for the Center,” he claimed, adding the Sindh government had no conflict with the Punjab government. “The people of Punjab are our own,” he said.
“The Punjab government’s real target is the prime minister,” he maintained. “We are being used as a cover to attack the federal government,” he said, stressing the PPP would not allow any conspiracy against the center to succeed.
The information minister claimed Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s speechwriter was “misleading” her into speaking about the “Punjab card.” Urging the Punjab leader to focus her criticism on performance, he said she should not spread hatred.
Continuing the verbal back-and-forth, he claimed the Punjab government was more focused on image-building than governance. “There’s more work on TikTok than in government offices,” he said. Sindh had stood by Punjab during the floods, he maintained, noting PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had visited affected areas and urged the federal government to seek international assistance.
Memon also criticized the Punjab administration for standing by a person who had made derogatory remarks about the people of Sindh, questioning why such behavior was tolerated. “If that person can be forgiven, then all prisoners should also be released for apologizing,” he said.
He maintained the PPP wanted cooperation, not confrontation. “We don’t want a fight; we want unity in these times,” he said, adding the party would continue to support the federal government on national issues.
In her response, Bukhari questioned whether Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had asked Memon to “play politics on Punjab’s flood victims.” She alleged the PPP chairman had “weakened the prime minister and the federal government despite being part of it” without offering any further details. “Those who cannot maintain peace within their own homes—between father and son—now seek to deflect attention by attacking us,” she claimed.