LAHORE – Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Tuesday announced plans to send a legal notice seeking damages from Federal Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain over allegations made against her government.
Addressing a public gathering in Attock, CM Maryam challenged the federal minister to produce evidence to support his claims, warning that she would take him to court if he failed to substantiate his allegations.
“If Chaudhry Salik has evidence, he should bring it forward. Otherwise, I will drag him to court,” she said, adding that holding a federal ministerial position did not give anyone the right to make accusations without providing proof.
She said she would issue a defamation notice seeking damages from the minister over his statements.
The Punjab chief minister also criticised Salik for reportedly describing the government of former chief minister Pervez Elahi as the best administration in Punjab’s history. Referring to her visit to Gujrat during heavy rainfall, Maryam said the situation had been so poor that her vehicle was submerged in floodwater.
She questioned the performance of the previous provincial administration, saying the condition of the city during the rains raised serious concerns about its governance and infrastructure management. Maryam also challenged Chaudhry Salik’s position on the performance of the Punjab government, questioning why he continued serving as a minister if he believed the administration was corrupt.
“I do not listen to anyone when it comes to making administrative decisions,” she said, defending her government’s approach to appointments and governance. The chief minister maintained that government officials in Punjab were appointed strictly on merit rather than political recommendations or personal influence.
She argued that appointments based on political connections and favouritism damaged state institutions and ultimately harmed the country and its people. Maryam reiterated that merit-based appointments were essential for improving governance, ensuring administrative accountability and delivering better public services across Punjab.
Her remarks came amid an exchange of criticism between provincial leadership and the federal minister over the performance of successive Punjab governments.
