Maryam Nawaz to send defamation notice to ally Salik over Punjab corruption claim

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said on Tuesday she would send a defamation notice to Chaudhry Salik Hussain, the federal minister for overseas Pakistanis, over his claim that corruption is taking place in the province, and challenged him to produce evidence.

Speaking at a ceremony in Attock, Maryam said Salik, a PML-Q leader described by Geo News as a political ally, should substantiate his allegations or answer in court. "You are a federal minister. Don't make allegations, present evidence," she said.

Salik made the remarks on a private television talk show on Monday. Dawn reported that he praised former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi during the programme and alleged that political considerations were increasingly shaping development priorities and the allocation of public funds.

The chief minister questioned why Salik continued to serve in the federal cabinet if he believed the provincial government was corrupt. She linked his criticism to the appointment of a deputy commissioner in Gujrat, saying he was upset that an officer of his choice had not been posted to the district. Officers in Punjab, she said, were appointed on merit, and accepting recommendations for postings harmed the country and its people.

Recalling a visit to Gujrat during rainfall, Maryam said the accumulated water had been deep enough that her vehicle nearly submerged. She made the point while referring to Elahi's tenure as chief minister.

Salik rejected her account of the Gujrat posting and stood by his allegation. "I stand by my statement. Corruption is taking place in Punjab," the federal minister said. He said he had made no request to appoint a deputy commissioner and that an officer was already serving in the position. Those given authority should remain humble, he said, adding that he had responded truthfully.

The exchange came a day after the talk show, and left the Punjab government and a federal minister from a coalition partner publicly at odds over the province's record.