Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has challenged critics of her government over corruption allegations, questioning why "dissatisfied" ministers continue holding office instead of resigning. "Those who have a problem should resign.
Why are they sitting there as ministers?" the provincial chief executive said while addressing an event in Jhelum on Tuesday. Her remarks come after federal minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) political ally Chaudhry Salik Hussain of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) alleged corruption in Punjab.
In an interview with a private television channel on November 2, Hussain said he did not possess evidence but heard stories about corruption in Punjab every day. The Punjab chief minister later sought Rs5 billion in damages from Hussain over his allegations, according to a legal notice served on the minister.
The six-page notice, issued on CM Maryam's behalf by Additional Advocate General Punjab Chaudhry Muhammad Nawaz, maintained that Hussain had failed to identify any document, official inquiry, audit observation, investigation, complaint or other verifiable source to substantiate his remarks. Meanwhile, the provincial chief executive said that people who had not delivered anything in the past found it easy to accuse others of corruption, adding that she had never claimed corruption had been completely eliminated in Punjab.
"I have never said that corruption has been completely eliminated in Punjab," she clarified. However, she claimed that Punjab is the only province where the chief minister regularly uncovered corruption cases, questioning whether corruption did not exist in Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
She challenged anyone possessing evidence against a member of her cabinet to come forward, saying she would not spare any minister found involved in wrongdoing. "If anyone comes forward with evidence against my minister, I will not spare them," she asserted.
CM Maryam said that, for the first time, a government was standing alongside poor and working-class people, adding that politically influential individuals could no longer dare to assault common people. She also described an incident involving a shopkeeper who allegedly assaulted a young girl.
According to the chief minister, she instructed that the girl be brought to the police station and told to slap the wealthy shopkeeper in return to ensure justice was served. The political atmosphere in the province remains tense as the ruling party faces scrutiny from both opposition benches and coalition partners.
Analysts suggest that the legal notice sent to a federal minister indicates a hardening stance by the provincial government against internal and external criticism. The Chief Minister emphasized that her administration is focused on governance and public service delivery rather than engaging in political point-scoring.
She reiterated that her doors are open for any constructive feedback backed by facts rather than hearsay. As the situation develops, political observers are watching closely to see if the rift between the PML-N and PML-Q will widen or if the coalition will find a way to reconcile their differences regarding the governance of the province.