LAHORE (The Thursday Times) — Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has served a legal notice on federal minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain, and on the host and chairman of the channel that aired his interview, over what it calls “unverified, baseless and defamatory” allegations of corruption against her government.
The notice, sent on her instructions and seen by The Thursday Times, is addressed to Salik, the Minister for Overseas Pakistanis, as well as to ARY News host Naeem Ashraf Butt and ARY chairman Muhammad Iqbal. It concerns an interview broadcast on November 2 and later posted on the channel’s YouTube page.
It quotes Salik, of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid, a federal coalition ally, as saying in Urdu: “I do not have evidence, but I hear stories about corruption in Punjab every day,” and: “In Punjab, it is not files of corruption, whole cupboards have been filled.”
The notice says the remarks are “not merely an expression of disagreement with public policy or ordinary political criticism”, and calls his statement that he has no evidence the “most alarming aspect”. It accuses the host of providing “a platform for the propagation of serious allegations” without first establishing any factual basis. The two pages seen by The Thursday Times do not show what the notice demands.
Speaking at a ceremony in Attock on Tuesday, the chief minister said she would not listen to “false allegations of corruption”. “If you have evidence, bring it forth, otherwise I will drag you to court,” she said, and asked why he remained a minister in a government he considered corrupt.
She said his anger was really about her recent decision to change the deputy commissioner of Gujrat, the family’s home district, when he wanted an officer of his choice. “I will not allow anyone to interfere in the will of the people,” she said. She also took exception to his praise of former chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi as the best the province has had.
Salik told reporters he stood by what he said. Asked for evidence, he said: “Please go and listen to the interview again.” Asked whether there was corruption, he said: “Yes, there definitely is.” He added: “God save us from pride and arrogance.”
“So, levelling false accusations is considered humility, while offering a response is deemed arrogance? Bravo!” the chief minister replied.
We found no public response from ARY to the notice. The row opens a public split between the ruling PML-N and an ally in the federal coalition.
