LAHORE: The remarks by Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Chaudhry Salik Hussain declaring former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi as the province’s ‘best-ever chief minister’ and his criticism of ‘unjust’ distribution of development funds among the districts have caused unease within the Maryam Nawaz administration, drawing a sharp rebuttal from Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari, who advised the PML-Q leader not to ‘bite the hand that feeds him.
During a private television channel talk show on Monday, Salik lavished praise on Elahi, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) president, crediting his 2002-07 tenure as Punjab chiefexecutive with delivering development across the province without political or personal bias.
‘Former chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi is the best-ever chief executive of Punjab,’ he said, adding that Elahi had made a significant contribution to the province’s development and ensured that development initiatives were not dictated by political affiliations.
The remarks carry particular political significance given the fractured relationship between the Chaudhry family and the PTI leadership. Salik, the younger son of PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, belongs to a family whose political loyalties have diverged sharply since the ouster of Imran Khan’s government in 2022 through a no-confidence vote. While Elahi and his son, former federal minister Moonis Elahi, aligned themselves with the PTI, the Shujaat family chose to stand with the Sharifs.
Salik’s elder brother, Shafay Hussain, is also part of the Maryam Nawaz cabinet in Punjab.
Salik went beyond praisingElahi, and took a swipe at the present provincial administration, alleging that political considerations are increasingly shaping development priorities and influencing the allocation of public fund s.
He said he regularly heard complaints of corruption in Punjab, alleging that a disproportionate share of the province’s development budget was being channelled towards Lahore, while districts, like Gujrat, where governmentbacked candidates failed to win elections, were being sidelined in development planning.
He also questioned lavish government spending, particularly the use of official aircraft, arguing that public representatives should remain mindful of the country’s economic difficulties.
Officials using government aircraft, he said, should be required to demonstrate the tangible outcomes and public benefits of their trips.
He further called for greater ministerial accountability, proposing that the federal as well as provincial ministers should be empowered to perform their duties, but also be held answer-able for their performance.
The criticism drew an immediate response from Punjab information minister Azma Bokhari, who sought to portray Salik’s outburst as a reaction to the denial of a personal favour, rather than a principled objection to the government’s policy.
She alleged that his displeasure stemmed from a request for appointment of a deputy commissioner of his choice being turned down.
‘Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz does not appoint deputy commissioners at anyone’s recommendation. She makes decisions strictly on merit and in accordance with the government’s policy,’ Bokhari said.
Claiming that the chief minister had dismantled the culture of political patronage, personal preferences and recommendations, she maintained that there was no longer any space in Punjab for influential individuals seeking to secure government positions or administrative favours through political connections.
‘There is no room for land grabbers and strongmen in Punjab anymore. The practice of rewarding employees of polit-ical estates with government positions through recommendations has also come to an end.
Salik Hussain should not bite the hand that feeds him,’ she retorted.
Rejecting Salik’s allegations of discriminatory development spending, Bokhari said Maryam Nawaz had ensured a transparent and equitable distribution of provincial resources, with development projects of a similar nature being launched in cities across Punjab.
She also claimed that the sanitation model introduced in Lahore had been extended to rural areas, arguing that the Punjab government was pursuing development beyond the provincial capital, rather than concentrating resources in one city.
Responding to Salik’s criticism of official aircraft use, Bokhari said Ms Nawaz was the first Punjab chief minister to personally pay expenses incurred on the use of the government’s aeroplane.
She also cited an allocation of Rs12 billion for development in Gujrat, describing it as an unprecedented investment in the city’s history.