Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari attended the National Assembly's budget session on Friday after senior government leaders assured him that the party's reservations would be addressed, ending speculation that he would boycott the proceedings.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi played a key role in persuading Bilawal to attend the session and later accompanied him to Parliament.
Before Naqvi's intervention, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had also met Bilawal along with Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar to discuss the PPP's concerns.
Earlier in the day, reports had suggested that Bilawal would not attend the budget session due to disagreements between the PPP and its coalition partner, the ruling PML-N, particularly over issues related to Gilgit-Baltistan and water distribution.
PPP sources had indicated that the party would maintain only token attendance in the House and did not consider it its responsibility to ensure quorum during the budget proceedings. The sources said lawmakers would be free to decide individually whether to attend the session.
However, PPP's media cell denied reports of a complete boycott, while PPP Central Secretary Information Nadeem Afzal Chan termed claims of a boycott decision incorrect.
In a statement posted on social media, Bilawal said the PPP's joint parliamentary party meeting had discussed the federal budget, the Gilgit-Baltistan elections and the situation in Kashmir in detail.
"Our party had initially decided that it would not be appropriate for me to attend the budget meeting until our reservations were removed," Bilawal said.
He added that Ishaq Dar and Mohsin Naqvi assured him that the party's concerns would be addressed immediately and requested him to participate in the budget session.
"Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and the Federal Interior Minister assured me that our reservations would be removed immediately and requested me to attend the budget meeting," he said.
Bilawal further revealed that negotiations between the PPP and the federal government would continue.
"Our teams will meet again this evening to find a solution to the current challenges and controversial issues," he said.
The developments came amid growing tensions between the PPP and the federal government over several issues, particularly the Gilgit-Baltistan elections and water distribution.
Earlier, PPP lawmakers staged a protest in the National Assembly over water shortages. Party members entered the House carrying placards highlighting the issue, while female lawmakers led by Shazia Marri submitted placards at the Speaker's dais.
PPP women lawmakers also chanted slogans in Sindhi demanding water for affected communities. Their slogans included calls to "give water to live" and "give water to drink."
The protest underscored the party's concerns over water distribution and reflected broader dissatisfaction within the PPP over what it considers inadequate attention to issues affecting Sindh and other regions.
Despite the disagreements, Bilawal's participation in the budget session signaled a temporary easing of tensions within the ruling coalition, with both sides agreeing to continue dialogue in an effort to resolve outstanding issues.