PM Shehbaz’s signal will be enough for my resignation, says Salik

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Chaudhry Salik Hussain has said he would resign if Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif indicated that he should step down while defending his remarks about alleged corruption and the ongoing dispute with the Punjab government.

Speaking on a programme, Salik said corruption should not be linked to any conspiracy and maintained that his concerns about the issue were based on facts.

He said he would not withdraw his earlier statement and was preparing a response to the defamation notice which he expected to send within a day or two. He also said he would present evidence in court if the matter proceeded to legal action.

Discussing the disagreement over the appointment of a deputy commissioner, Salik said there had been no problems during the previous one-and-a-half years because working coordination had remained effective. He added that his side had earlier requested an officer with experience in urban development but had not objected when the appointment was eventually made.

The federal minister criticised Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s response saying she had issued her remarks on the basis of incorrect information. He argued that identifying alleged corruption in government projects should not be treated as defamation.

Salik maintained that his comments had not been motivated by personal interests or political considerations. He said his criticism was directed at the Punjab government but the chief minister had taken the matter personally.

He also questioned the response from Punjab’s information minister saying an attempt by the federal information minister to resolve the disagreement had been undermined by subsequent statements.

Referring to the political arrangement between coalition partners, Salik said the parties had agreed on the distribution of ministries when the alliance was formed. He suggested that any decision about whether coalition partners were still needed would also have implications for the existing political understanding.

He further raised concerns about the withdrawal of Elite Force personnel previously assigned to him, claiming that the security arrangement had been changed and officers were warned of suspension if they failed to return by midnight.

Salik also referred to his family’s political reputation saying no corruption allegations had been established against Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and urged the Punjab chief minister to discuss the matter with her father.