Punjab Police has withdrawn additional Elite Force personnel assigned to protect Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Salik Hussain.
The personnel had been providing security to the federal minister since last year. The additional deployment was introduced following concerns about his safety. However, Punjab Police has now directed the personnel to return to their parent force.
Salik Hussain confirmed that the additional security arrangement had been withdrawn. The decision comes amid growing tensions between the federal minister and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
Their differences have become increasingly public following Salik Hussain’s criticism of governance in Punjab. He raised concerns about alleged corruption, development spending and administrative performance. He has refused to withdraw his remarks despite receiving a legal notice from the chief minister.
Officials have clarified that federal ministers will continue receiving necessary security while visiting Punjab. However, provincial Elite Force personnel will not accompany them beyond the province’s territorial limits. The clarification comes as the political disagreement between the two leaders continues. The withdrawal of additional personnel has also drawn attention because of the ongoing exchange of criticism.
Salik Hussain, a leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), has questioned the strong reaction to his earlier comments. He has argued that his remarks highlighted issues already being discussed publicly. The federal minister also referred to reports of arrests and investigations linked to alleged financial irregularities in Punjab. He questioned how many people had been arrested following his earlier interview.
Salik Hussain further pointed towards recurring reports of alleged multibillion-rupee corruption scandals. He maintained that he had raised concerns about matters already appearing in public discussions. His comments have added to the political debate surrounding accountability and governance in Punjab. The dispute has also brought attention to the relationship between provincial and federal political figures.
The chief minister had issued a legal notice following the minister’s criticism. However, Salik Hussain has maintained his position and has not agreed to retract his statements. The security withdrawal is the latest development amid the ongoing disagreement. Punjab Police has stated that federal ministers will still receive necessary protection within the province.
The available information does not indicate that the federal minister’s overall security arrangements have been completely removed. Instead, the decision concerns the additional provincial Elite Force personnel previously assigned to him.
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The political disagreement continues to centre on allegations of corruption, public spending and governance. Further developments may clarify whether the two sides will take steps to ease tensions.
