Khawaja Asif responds to Salik Hussain’s corruption claims about Punjab

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has responded to a statement by Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader and Federal Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain on corruption in Punjab. He said it was beyond his limited political understanding. He made the remarks in a message on the social media site X.

According to Khawaja Asif, Chaudhry Salik is highly respected by him. He said he regards Salik’s elders with the same respect as his own.

He said corruption was the biggest problem in society and that ridding the country of it was the shared responsibility of the federal and provincial political leadership. He recalled that Salik Hussain was part of the federal government, while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz was in government both at the Centre and in Punjab.

Khawaja Asif said that if the statement was part of a future political agenda to target Maryam Nawaz’s government, make room for himself in Punjab and at the Centre and secure his political future, then it could be understood.

Praising Maryam Nawaz’s performance, he said the service being delivered in the cities and villages of Punjab and the new standards set by the provincial government would prove a very difficult challenge for opponents.

According to Pakistan Today, Salik Hussain, in an interview with a private television channel on Monday, praised former Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and criticised the provincial administration under Maryam Nawaz. On Tuesday, Maryam Nawaz sent him a legal notice seeking Rs5 billion in damages and demanded that he withdraw the allegations.