Pakistan Peoples Party blocks government bills amid political rift

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has announced it will withhold support for government legislative business until its grievances are addressed. PPP leader Syed Naveed Qamar stated that while the party has supported the government, this support cannot be taken for granted without progress on specific issues.

Key grievances cited by the PPP include concerns regarding the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections, the appointment of judges, and other political matters. Qamar emphasized that “it takes two hands to clap” and that the party requires tangible progress from the government to continue its cooperation.

The rift manifested in the National Assembly Standing Committee on Petroleum, where the PPP blocked two significant bills: the Natural Gas (Development Surcharge) Amendment Bill and the Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC) Amendment Bill. The committee subsequently deferred consideration of both pieces of legislation. The GIDC funds, which are intended for strategic oil and gas pipeline projects, currently have approximately Rs295 billion unutilized in the public kitty.