Punjab govt endorses Asif's 'conspiracy' remark

Incensed by the claim, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz served a Rs5 billion defamation notice on Salik and the private news channel on November 3 over the allegations, demanding an unconditional apology, retraction of the statements and damages.

Commenting on the controversy on X, PML-N stalwart and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on November 4 said the only way to interpret Salik's statement was to see it as a political move to create more space for his party in the Centre and Punjab by targeting CM Maryam's government.

However, talking to a private channel on Thursday night, Asif expressed suspicion that Salik's controversial interview might be part of a broader political conspiracy. The defence minister said some characters, including some businessmen whom he described as "carpetbaggers", were attempting to create an alternative arrangement by discrediting the incumbent government in the country's most populous province.

He said the selective criticism of the Punjab government over corruption, when the menace was rampant across the country, appeared to be groundwork for some future political scheme. When the anchor asked whether the proposed alternative arrangement was specifically aimed at Punjab and Maryam, Khawaja endorsed the possibility, saying others could also fall prey to the conspiracy.

However, he refrained from sharing his complete assessment, describing it as premature at this stage. Asked whether the provincial government's aggressive response was also linked to Salik's family ties with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Khawaja said those ties could be a factor.

However, he added that, if one looked at whether other quarters were behind the controversy, his assessment was that certain people were doing their bidding to create space for themselves in future elections. "They appear to believe that the possible retirement of the existing political leadership will leave room for them to present themselves as potential replacements," he said.

Responding to a question by The Express Tribune about Asif's suspicion that Salik's controversial interview was part of a broader political controversy to create an alternative political arrangement, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari said these were indeed the facts the government was aware of.

PML-Q spokesperson Ghulam Mustafa Malik, however, dismissed the suggestion of a conspiracy against the Punjab government, saying that even Khawaja Asif had endorsed the corruption allegations. He said Salik had made a routine statement and had not said anything new, but the government had turned it into a storm in a teacup.

He added that his party was pleased that the ruling party was elevating its leaders' stature by reading too much into a generic statement. Malik said his party had not made any direct allegations against anyone.

Asked whether anyone had approached the party to defuse the situation, he said no one had entered the fray so far. He added that only those close to Maryam Nawaz were issuing statements in support of the Punjab government, while the Islamabad camp of the PML-N had remained silent.

Malik said Salik would respond to the legal notice within a day or two. Earlier in the day, Salik posted on his X account that he had received the legal notice and would respond to it soon.

He added that "transparency is never meant to exist behind closed doors. "Speaking to journalists at Parliament House earlier, Salik said he would submit a comprehensive reply to the notice in court, maintaining that he stood by his allegations of corruption in Punjab.

He described claims concerning the appointment of the Gujrat deputy commissioner as fabricated and said his remarks about corruption were his personal statement. He also ruled out the possibility of the PML-Q leaving the PML-N government, saying that, for now, the immediate task was to respond to the legal notice.