Pakistan’s Law Minister Apologizes to PPP Over Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s Remarks

Islamabad,— Pakistan’s federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar issued an apology to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in parliament on Monday after remarks by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz sparked tensions within the ruling coalition.

Speaking during a National Assembly session, Tarar described the dispute as an “in-house matter,” stressing that political disagreements were natural but would not affect the unity of the coalition government. “Our elders will resolve this issue. The opposition should not rejoice — the alliance will continue,” he said.

To ease the situation, Tarar assigned senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Talal Chaudhry to engage with PPP lawmakers. The Speaker subsequently adjourned the assembly until the next day.

The controversy erupted after Maryam Nawaz, addressing a gathering in Faisalabad, criticized the PPP’s reliance on the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), stating that “not everything can be solved through BISP” and questioning how provincial funds were being utilized. She also defended Punjab’s water projects, saying the goal was to irrigate Cholistan’s land, not to “steal water.”

The episode underscores recurring frictions within Pakistan’s fragile coalition, though both parties have sought to project unity in the face of mounting political and economic challenges.