Opponents targeting Punjab will get befitting response: Maryam Nawaz

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Friday warned political opponents to “think a hundred times before commenting on Punjab,” saying any criticism would be met with a strong response.

Speaking at a ceremony in Lahore, Maryam said that spokespersons of rival parties should apologise for politicising Punjab’s floods.

“They rubbed salt on the province’s wounds, mocked us with repeated press conferences during a crisis, and spread lies. Statements from President Asif Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto were also hurtful,” she said.

Referring to a vlogger who made inappropriate remarks, she said he realised his mistake and offered an unconditional apology. “If one seeks forgiveness, Allah also forgives,” she remarked, adding that she would not allow any injustice against the people of Punjab.

Maryam rejected calls for her to apologise. “Why should Maryam Nawaz Sharif apologise? Those spokespersons who criticised Punjab’s people during floods should be the ones to apologise,” she said.

She stressed that her response was a voice for the rights of her people, making it clear that she would never apologise. “Nations are built not only through projects but also through values. We are Pakistanis first, then Punjabis,” the chief minister said.

Maryam announced that a “Minority Card” would be launched to provide financial assistance to religious minorities.

She said that measures were being taken to curb smog and vowed that treatment for all diseases would soon be available in every city of Punjab.

Outlining her government’s initiatives, she said that 90,000 houses were being built, thousands of villages were being upgraded, and electric buses would be launched across the province.

“My own vehicle does not have CCTV or Wi-Fi, but I am giving the public both facilities in buses,” she said.

Maryam noted that Lahore often set the pace for development projects, from metro bus to orange line. She said 70 more buses would be added to the Lahore Division this year, including 40 electric buses being introduced immediately.

She credited former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif for Lahore’s development, adding that her government was committed to providing modern transport facilities and further expanding the electric bus network in the city.

Earlier, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders met and agreed to resolve issues through dialogue and mutual understanding.

The meeting took place in the chamber of National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Senator Rana Sanaullah, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, PPP leader Naveed Qamar and Ejaz Jakhrani.