The coalition parties reached the consensus on their grievances in the third round of talks between both the parties' negotiating committees on Sunday.
After the successful negotiations, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is likely to ensure his presence in the House on the occasion of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s speech on June 24.
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As per PML-N sources, the PPP will be given preference regarding development funds and administrative positions in Punjab. The sources said that Bilawal Bhutto would inform Zardari about the details of the talks. The PPP leaders fully participated in the budget meeting and expressed its consent, they added.
They said that the PPP chairman would announce the party’s support to the Finance Bill, and the party’s future strategy during his address on June 24.
The PPP had grievances over the government’s failure to take it into confidence over federal budget as well as it seeking more share in Punjab.
In the third round of talks on Sunday, the PPP was represented by Raja Pervez Ashraf, Ali Haider Gillani, Nadeem Afzal Chan and Hassan Murtaza while Punjab Assembly Speaker Ahmed Khan, Rana Sanaullah and Khawaja Saad Rafique and others came from PML-N.
The PPP’s demands accepted by the PML-N pertain to district administrations, appointment of law officers, representation in various boards and authorities, early holding of local bodies election, distribution of development funds equal to PML-N parliamentarians.
In addition, the PPP demanded appointment of an additional secretary in the chief minister secretariat whose job would be to resolve the issues faced by the party only, they said.
At first, the prime minister took President Zardari into confidence, and then decided to hold a meeting with Bilawal Bhutto and other PPP leaders. In the meeting, the positions of both the sides were discussed, and all reservations were entrusted to the authorized committees from the two parties.
After consensus, the committees gave unanimous recommendations to their respective leadership. After the message from Punjab, the PPP leadership also issued instructions to the provincial leaders. The third round of negotiations took place at the Prime Minister's House.
In the meeting, Bilawal had voiced his reservations over the federal government’s "non-seriousness" towards different projects in Sindh.
According to the sources, Bilawal Bhutto adopted a tough stance and conveyed two-page written concerns to the prime minister.
Bilawal said that the PML-N had disappointed his party, adding that the problems could be solved in a day but the government is not serious in solving the problems.
Meanwhile, PPP Central Information Secretary Shazia Marri said nothing substantial came out of the meeting between Bilawal and Shehbaz.
She said, "PPP believes in negotiations and we will hold meetings moving forward. We are not blackmailing anyone, we're politely conveying our concerns”, stressing that her party had concerns over the federal budget.
Addressing an event on the occasion of Benazir Bhutto’s 71st birthday in Karachi’s Lyari Town on Friday, Bilawal had admitted that the "incumbent government is making all-out efforts to steer the country out of the economic crisis".
