Federal Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi surprised many in the National Assembly when he indirectly criticised his own party colleague, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, for a speech he made a day earlier.
Abbasi said that ministers in government should not talk like opposition members. Referring to Asif’s comments about the system being faulty, Abbasi reminded him that he had been part of the same system for 40 years. He suggested that if Asif disagreed with government policies, he should resign instead of criticising from within.
Abbasi further said that if Asif had not been able to deliver in his own constituency, he should take responsibility rather than trying to go viral by criticising the prime minister, chief minister, or bureaucracy. He added that it does not look good when treasury members call the system “hybrid,” insult bureaucrats, and complain about the absence of local government.
The minister said he personally never avoided responsibility for problems in Rawalpindi and pointed out that the city has managed heavy rains much better than before. He also mentioned his development projects and said he never blackmailed contractors but ensured quality work.
These remarks came after Khawaja Asif criticised a Sialkot contractor (now a senator), accusing him of selling plots on land meant for nullahs and riverbeds, which caused damage to nature.
Asif said everyone knew how such people reached the Senate and questioned how much land the government had actually recovered from mafias and encroachers in the past three years.
He also stressed the need to strengthen the local government system across the country, regretting that every government only used it for its own benefit instead of real devolution of power, especially in Punjab where most powers remain centralized.
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