ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was an ally of the government, adding that the PML-N valued and respected its partnership with the coalition partner.

The two parties share power at the federal level, although the PPP holds no positions in the cabinet. Relations between the allies have recently been strained, with both sides exchanging sharp words over the distribution of flood relief. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari maintained that the Benazir Income Support Programme was the only effective channel for assisting flood victims, while Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz accused the PPP of politicising the matter.

Key figures, including the prime minister and President Asif Ali Zardari, made concerted efforts to ease tensions. P

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