Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has expressed reservations over remarks by Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Salik Hussain regarding alleged corruption in Punjab, saying the comments were difficult for him to understand.
The controversy began after Salik, during an interview with a private television channel on Monday, praised former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi but criticised the current provincial administration led by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. He claimed that he frequently received complaints about corruption in the province.
In response, Maryam Nawaz issued a Rs5 billion defamation notice to the minister on Tuesday, demanding that he withdraw his allegations.
Reacting to the controversy in a post on X on Wednesday, Asif said Salik held a respectable position in his eyes and that he also respected his family elders.
However, he said corruption remained one of the country’s most serious challenges and that political leadership at both federal and provincial levels shared the responsibility of eliminating the issue.
Asif pointed out that Salik was part of both the federal and Punjab governments, which are led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
He suggested that if Salik’s remarks were intended to advance a future political agenda, undermine Maryam Nawaz’s administration or create political space for himself at the provincial and federal levels, they would be easier to understand.
The defence minister also praised Maryam Nawaz’s performance, saying her development initiatives across Punjab’s cities and rural areas, along with the standards of public service being introduced by her government, would present a significant challenge to political opponents.1
During the television interview, Salik also criticised what he described as excessive government expenditure, particularly the use of official aircraft. He argued that public representatives should remain conscious of the country’s economic difficulties and that officials travelling on government aircraft should demonstrate the tangible benefits of their visits.
He also called for greater accountability of ministers at both federal and provincial levels, saying they should be given sufficient authority to perform their responsibilities while being held answerable for their performance.
The remarks have added to existing political differences within the Chaudhry family, whose members have taken opposing positions since the removal of former prime minister Imran Khan’s government through a no-confidence motion in 2022.
Salik, the younger son of PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, belongs to the faction that supported the Sharif family. Meanwhile, former Punjab chief minister Pervez Elahi and his son, former federal minister Moonis Elahi, aligned themselves with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Salik’s elder brother, Shafay Hussain, is also a member of Maryam Nawaz’s provincial cabinet.
On Tuesday, Maryam Nawaz rejected Salik’s allegations, claiming that his displeasure was linked to the recent transfer of Gujrat’s deputy commissioner. She alleged that the minister wanted an official of his choice appointed to the position.
The defamation notice was also sent to ARY News anchor Naeem Ashraf Butt and the channel’s chairman. It stated that Salik’s comments went beyond ordinary political criticism and amounted to serious allegations of widespread corruption in Punjab.
The notice demanded an unconditional public apology, clarification and the removal or correction of the disputed portions of the interview. It also sought Rs5 billion in damages.
Salik, however, maintained that he stood by his remarks, saying he had responded honestly to a question during the interview.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari also criticised the PML-Q leader, advising him not to “bite the hand that feeds him”. She alleged that his dissatisfaction stemmed from the provincial government’s refusal to appoint his preferred candidate as Gujrat’s deputy commissioner.
