Senator’s Sharp Retort to Uzma Bukhari
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Quratulain Marri has launched a scathing response to Punjab government spokesperson Uzma Bukhari, calling her a “perpetual troublemaker” who has turned political spin into a full-time occupation.
Her remarks came after Bukhari criticized a recent press conference by PPP leader Sharjeel Inam Memon. The exchange has reignited tensions between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the PPP, two key partners in Pakistan’s governing coalition.
Marri said that whenever the PPP raises concerns about flood victims, the PML-N interprets it as an attack on Punjab. “Instead of addressing the suffering of flood-hit communities, the Punjab government seems more concerned with political point-scoring,” she remarked.
Punjab’s Floods and Political Blame Game
Large parts of southern Punjab have faced severe flooding in recent weeks, affecting thousands of families and displacing many from their homes. According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), more than 200,000 people have been impacted by seasonal floods across Pakistan this year.
Marri accused the PML-N of ignoring this crisis while targeting the PPP for highlighting the plight of victims. “Punjab is under water, yet its spokesperson finds time only to criticize Sindh,” she said, suggesting that Bukhari’s priorities reflected a deeper problem within her party.
Accusations of Promoting Provincialism
The PPP senator went further, alleging that the PML-N leadership is promoting a divisive narrative that pits provinces against each other.
“Such rhetoric undermines the spirit of federal unity that binds Pakistan together,” Marri said. “It appears that the PML-N is gradually transforming into a linguistic or regional party rather than a national one.”
She also made a pointed reference to the internal dynamics of the PML-N, saying, “Perhaps Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz are struggling to accept Shehbaz Sharif’s recent successes.” Her remarks hinted at underlying tensions within the ruling family, particularly after Shehbaz Sharif’s growing prominence in national affairs.
Targeting the PPP to Deflect Internal Rifts
Marri claimed that PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz has been attacking the PPP to deflect attention from her own party’s internal divisions.
“By blaming the PPP, she hopes to distract from conflicts within the PML-N and create unrest at the federal level,” Marri alleged.
She insisted that the PPP has become a target of “unjustified criticism” despite its consistent focus on national issues such as flood relief, governance, and economic recovery.
“History Remembers Who Said What”
In a particularly biting comment, Marri reminded Uzma Bukhari of her own past statements against her party’s leadership. “It is ironic that the same Uzma Bukhari who once called Nawaz Sharif an agent of India’s intelligence agency RAW is now defending him with such zeal,” she said.
Marri also referenced the controversial 2015 meeting between then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Sharif family estate in Jati Umra. “Those who have hosted Modi in their own homes should not be questioning Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s understanding of foreign affairs,” she asserted.
Coalition Tensions Looming
The verbal exchange reflects broader tensions between the PPP and PML-N — coalition partners in Pakistan’s current government. While both parties share power at the federal level, they continue to clash over governance issues, resource allocation, and political narratives in key provinces.
Analysts suggest that these repeated public spats could strain the fragile alliance, especially ahead of upcoming local government elections and the national budget debates.
For now, neither side appears willing to back down. With both parties seeking to consolidate support in their respective strongholds — Sindh for the PPP and Punjab for the PML-N — political fault lines are once again becoming visible across Pakistan’s federation.
