The letter sent by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz marks more than a dispute over protocol. It exposes how deeply the political divide between the PTI and the PML-N has corroded basic norms of governance. When the courtesies once extended even to rival provincial leaders are abandoned, the damage reaches beyond party rivalry and into the foundations of the federation itself.
Inter provincial relations in Pakistan have always carried an element of tension, yet they have historically been tempered by an understanding that constitutional office demands restraint. Chief ministers, regardless of party, were received with minimum dignity because they represented not merely themselves but millions of citizens. The account of Afridi visit to Lahore suggests that this tradition is under strain. Heavy handed security measures, visible disruption of daily life, and an atmosphere of confrontation projected a message of political hostility rather than administrative prudence.
The troubling aspect is not simply that Afridi faced inconvenience. It is that a sitting chief minister was treated as an adversary to be managed rather than a constitutional counterpart to be engaged. Such behavior risks normalising a politics where provinces governed by rival parties become arenas for point scoring. In a federal system already marked by mistrust, this is a dangerous path.
It is also necessary to acknowledge context. Afridi did not arrive in Punjab as a neutral visitor. He came amid heightened political mobilisation and carried the posture of a protest leader as much as that of a provincial executive. That choice inevitably raised security concerns and political sensitivities. Yet federal maturity is tested precisely in such moments. One party, particularly the one exercising authority in the host province, must take the higher road.
Punjab, as the largest and most influential province, carries a special responsibility. Its conduct sets a tone for the rest of the country. When Punjab appears to weaponise administrative power or allow digital mudslinging to flourish, it legitimises similar behavior elsewhere. Smaller provinces then read such actions as confirmation that power, not principle, governs inter provincial dealings.
The allegations of coordinated online vilification linked to provincial authority add another layer of concern. Even the perception that state aligned platforms are used to tarnish a rival chief minister erodes institutional credibility. Political contestation belongs in assemblies, courts, and elections, not in insinuation campaigns that blur the line between party and state.
At stake is the integrity of the federation. Pakistan constitutional structure relies on mutual respect among its federating units, especially when political control is divided. When hostility replaces courtesy, cooperation on security, economy, and governance becomes harder. Citizens ultimately pay the price as provincial leaders retreat into siege mentalities.
The episode should serve as a warning. Political rivalry between the PTI and the PML-N has reached a level where even routine inter provincial engagement is treated as a zero sum contest. Reversing this trend requires deliberate restraint. Disagreement is inevitable, but dignity must remain non negotiable if the federation is to endure.
