MULTAN – Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has responded to criticism over her use of a government aircraft, saying she personally paid all expenses for the trip to attend her daughter’s graduation.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the electric bus service in Multan, Maryam Nawaz said she had been criticised for booking a government aircraft and remarked that she could have travelled to Multan on a Qingqi rickshaw if the plane had become such an issue.
She clarified that the aircraft did not belong to her personally but was allocated to the Punjab chief minister. She said all four provincial chief ministers had access to government aircraft, but criticism was being directed specifically at her.
Maryam Nawaz said she had paid nearly Rs28 million herself for all expenses related to the trip to attend her daughter’s graduation.
“I am accountable to the people, not to any YouTuber,” she said.
The Punjab chief minister said she was being criticised because she was working and claimed that those criticising her benefited financially from targeting her.
She said that before becoming chief minister, she used to travel abroad on commercial flights, adding that she would use an aircraft whenever necessary for the welfare of the people.
“Even when I am on a plane, my office continues to function,” she said, adding that she would not respond to her critics and that their criticism did not affect her.
Maryam Nawaz also defended Punjab’s development projects, saying the province was facing criticism over its development work. She said Punjab had not deprived any other province of its share and had provided resources to other provinces from its own share.
Commenting on the visit of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister to Punjab, she described it as unsuccessful. She claimed that several people had come from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to “attack” Punjab but remained on the roadside without receiving any public response.
She said the people of Punjab had refused to recognise them and rejected them, after which they claimed to have been abducted.
Maryam Nawaz said Punjab’s government had refused to provide them a chair when they demanded one, joking that the chair could be stolen.
She said every person living in Punjab was her responsibility and announced that green buses would be introduced in every district of the province during the current financial year.
According to the chief minister, 3,000 electric buses would eventually be available to serve the public, including in areas where people had previously not even experienced government-run public transport.
She also announced that 100,000 electric bikes would be provided to students.
Maryam Nawaz further said one of the world’s most expensive cancer-treatment machines had been installed at a hospital, while steps had also been taken to improve law and order and ensure public safety.
She said she had faced attempts to intimidate her through criminal cases but added that she was not afraid.
