PM Shehbaz has lost popular support, PPP MNAs claim

Lawma­k­ers belonging to the PPP, a key partner in the ruling coalition, during their speeches in the National Assembly on Monday not only made a scathing attack on the tax-laden and ‘dir­e­ctionless’ federal budget, but also targeted the ruling PML-N, claiming that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had lost popularity among the masses. Despite expressing serious reservations over the budget, the PPP members, who had initially boycotted the ongoing debate and sta­rted taking part in it only after a high-level intervention at the top leadership level, however, expressed their helplessness, stating that ultimately they would have no choice, but to vote for the budget. During the day-long proceedings, the lawmakers from smaller provinces highlighted the sense of deprivation prevailing in their areas, as MNAs from south Punjab called for carving out new provinces from Punjab.