Zardari calls Punjab’s Mohsin Naqvi to Karachi for urgent talks.

Sindh and Punjab – (Special Correspondent / Web Desk) – After a heated dispute over flood relief efforts descended into a public debate challenge between top provincial leaders, President Asif Ali Zardari intervened to defuse tensions between the governments of Sindh and Punjab.

Sources claim that President Zardari discussed the growing distance between the two provinces over the phone with Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.

The interior minister has been called to Karachi by the president for an urgent consultation on the issue.
According to officials, Zardari emphasized the value of communication and cooperation at the federal and provincial levels in order to resolve disagreements. It is anticipated that he will assess the circumstances and suggest actions to reduce political tensions.

The latest friction stems from disagreements over flood relief operations following devastating floods that displaced millions across the country. Both Sindh and Punjab governments have accused each other of mismanagement and lack of transparency.

The dispute intensified when PPP leader and MNA Sharmila Farooqi, in a morning show last week, criticized Punjab’s handling of relief operations and challenged the province to a performance comparison.

Punjab government spokesperson Uzma Bukhari swiftly responded, accepting the challenge and asserting that Punjab had maintained a transparent and systematic relief mechanism. She said, “We are ready to present every record. Those politicizing the victims’ suffering are, in fact, their real enemies.”

Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon hit back during a press conference, urging the Punjab government to bring proof of its claims. He stated that “facts cannot be hidden through speeches; the public can see how many people are still living in tents.”

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In reply, Punjab’s Uzma Bukhari once again accepted the challenge, saying, “The place and time of the debate are yours to decide — I will come myself and not hide behind anyone.”

Adding to the heated exchange, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto’s spokesperson and Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab criticized Punjab’s stance. He said the debate should not overshadow the real issue — serving flood victims.

Wahab suggested forming an independent commission to audit relief efforts instead of engaging in televised debates, stressing that “this is not the time for politics but for service.”

Meanwhile, Aseefa Bhutto also emphasized that neglecting to use the Benazir Income Support Programme for flood relief would be “gross negligence.”