The simmering tensions between the PPP and PML-N reached a boiling point on Tuesday, as the Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif took a swipe at her Sindh counterpart, Murad Ali Shah, and other leaders of the latter's party over the recent Punjab power subsidy. In a veiled manner, Maryam accused them of lining their pockets with ill-gotten money and squandering public funds on luxurious lifestyles and extensive protocols. In the opposite corner, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon retorted by mocking PML-N for lacking any vision and accusing it of promoting provincialism.
Memon slammed the ruling PML-N's decision to grant a two-month sub-sidy exclusively to Punjab, quipping that while the younger Sharif - PM Shehbaz Sharif - raises electricity tariffs nationwide, the elder Sharif - Nawaz Sharif - slashes bills only in Punjab. "How can one make sense of that?" he questioned. Though Sharjeel asserted he could retaliate against Maryam Nawaz with equal venom, he said he would hold back, stating that PPP leadership does not indulge in such politics.
However, despite the verbal sparring, it appears unlikely that the feud will escalate into a full-blown crisis at the federal level as the forces back-ing the coalition will put a lid on the brewing conflict, ensuring it does not get out of hand. Moreover, Sharjeel's visible restraint in his remarks signalled that the PPP leadership is currently opting for caution, confining this exchange to mere shadowboxing for the ti.