Punjab CM doubles down on provincial achievements while clashing with Sindh and PPP.
LAHORE – Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has defended the province’s rapid progress, accusing critics of “envying” its success. Speaking at an event on Tuesday, she emphasized that her government is not only cleaning up crime and filth but also “cleansing the minds” of those who criticize Punjab’s development. This comment marks another chapter in the ongoing war of words between Punjab’s ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
“Some people get upset when I speak about Punjab — but tell me, which province am I the chief minister of? If I don’t speak for Punjab, then who should?” Maryam stated, defending her leadership and asserting that her focus was on addressing the concerns of her province.
The exchange between the two major political parties escalated earlier over the provision of aid to flood victims in Punjab. While PPP has pushed for distributing compensation through the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Punjab’s government rejected the proposal, further igniting tensions between the two parties.
Maryam went on to express her wish for all provinces, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Sindh, to experience the same development and cleanliness that Punjab enjoys. She also pointed out that all provinces receive substantial financial allocations, criticizing governments in other regions for not utilizing funds effectively. “So if your roads are broken, if you must travel in rickety buses, or if wheat is expensive, then ask your own governments why that is,” she remarked, urging other regional administrations to focus on improving conditions in their respective areas.
The Punjab CM reaffirmed that the progress of her province was a right of every citizen and should not be begged for. “Progress and prosperity are the rights of every citizen, not something they should have to beg for,” she stated, before attributing her achievements to the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and her father, Nawaz Sharif.
The ongoing political dispute has prompted responses from both sides. Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari dismissed suggestions that Maryam should apologize to the PPP, instead shifting the blame to the Sindh government for starting the dispute. “What should the chief minister apologize for? If anyone owes an apology, it’s the Sindh government. They started this row,” Bokhari remarked. She further accused PPP of trying to weaken the federation by targeting Punjab’s success and also advised the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to focus on its internal issues.
The federal government has intervened to help ease tensions between PPP and PML-N. President Asif Ali Zardari has assigned Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to mediate between the two parties. Naqvi is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday to discuss ways of diffusing the situation.
Meanwhile, PPP leaders continued their critique of Maryam’s remarks. Palwasha Khan, a senior PPP leader, reiterated that her party is an ally to PML-N, but not its “slave,” while Senator Waqar Mehdi alleged that Maryam’s actions were part of a broader political plot against her uncle, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
In response, PTI leader Asad Qaiser extended an offer to the PPP, inviting them to join the opposition benches and stating that his party would support a no-confidence motion against the government “without any preconditions.”
As the tensions between the two major political factions continue to escalate, the federal government’s mediation efforts may play a crucial role in preventing further political fallout.
