Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Chaudhry Salik Hussain has said that the Punjab government should have sent a legal notice to its own official spokesperson instead of him.
Replying to a tweet by the senior provincial minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Hussain said he is sure that he did not receive any legal notice. He added that he is awaiting the notice to give a due response once delivered.
“It is better to send that legal notice to your own official spokesperson of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Syed Kousar Kazmi in case of these misleading claims, because I surely haven’t received mine yet. Waiting for it so that a proper response can be given.”
Marriyum Aurangzeb called on Salik to either fulfil his responsibilities as a minister or step down from his role “instead of engaging in empty rhetoric about eradicating corruption from society and promoting good governance”.
The development comes amid an escalating dispute days after Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz served a Rs5 billion defamation notice on Hussain, who belongs to an allied party in the PMLN-led ruling coalition. The PMLQ lawmaker alleged widespread corruption in the province in a November 2 interview on ARY News.
In her defamation notice that also included ARY News anchor and its chairman, the Punjab CM demanded an unconditional apology, a retraction of the statements, and damages.
However, Hussain stood by his claims, rejecting the claim that his remarks were prompted by the appointment of a deputy commissioner. He said the interview had been recorded three weeks before it was aired on the private TV.
