Lahore, October 7, 2025: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz intensified her criticism of political rivals on Tuesday, declaring that her government is not only cleaning Punjab of “crime and filth” but also “cleansing the minds of those who envy the province’s progress.”
Speaking at an event in Lahore, Maryam defended her focus on Punjab amid growing tensions with the Sindh government and the Pakistan People’s 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?” she remarked.
The war of words between the PPP and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has deepened over the issue of flood relief distribution. The PPP has been pressing for aid to be routed through the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), a proposal the Punjab government has rejected, accusing the PPP of politicising relief efforts.
Maryam alleged that some parties sought to exploit Punjab’s flood devastation for “political mileage” rather than supporting genuine rehabilitation. She said her administration aimed to make Punjab a model of development and governance for other provinces.
“I want to see Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Sindh as clean and developed as Punjab,” she said. “All provinces receive ample funds — so if roads are broken, wheat is costly, or transport is poor, ask your own governments why that is.”
Maryam emphasised that prosperity was every citizen’s right and “not something they should have to beg for.” She said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had appreciated her performance, to which she responded, “I’ve learned everything from Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif.”
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari also weighed in, dismissing PPP’s demand for an apology from the chief minister.
“What should she apologise for? If anyone should apologise, it’s the Sindh government,” Bokhari said. “They started this row; they should be the ones to end it.”
Bokhari accused the PPP of targeting Punjab to weaken the federation, while advising the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to “set its own house in order” instead of fuelling political unrest.
Amid mounting tensions between the two allies, the federal government has stepped in to contain the dispute. President Asif Ali Zardari has asked Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to mediate between the PPP and PML-N. Naqvi is expected to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday to discuss steps toward reconciliation.
PPP leaders, however, continued their criticism of the Punjab chief minister. PPP’s Palwasha Khan said her party was “an ally, not a slave,” while Senator Waqar Mehdi alleged that “it seems the niece is plotting against her uncle.”
Meanwhile, PTI leader Asad Qaiser invited the PPP to join the opposition benches, offering his party’s support for a no-confidence move against the federal government “without any preconditions.” PTI Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja downplayed the feud, describing it as a “friendly tussle” that would soon pass — though he ruled out any possibility of a PTI-PPP alliance.
