By:Musawir Qureshi
The intoxication of power is a strange thing. When a person sits in the chair of authority, sometimes words come out of their mouth that do not merely hurt a political opponent—they wound the entire country. The question arising from Maryam Nawaz’s recent statement is: why are the institutions silent?
Maryam Nawaz said, “Punjab does not face a threat from neighboring countries; it faces a threat from neighboring provinces.” This is not an ordinary political statement. It raises a serious question about Pakistan’s federal structure, provincial harmony, and national security.
Why has Punjab begun to feel threatened by provinces that are part of its own country?
And if India is not a threat, then the nation deserves an answer to a fundamental question: Why are Pakistan’s armed forces stationed on the borders facing India? Why is money being spent on defense? Why has Pakistan fought wars with India? Is our military misunderstanding the threat, or is the Punjab government’s assessment correct?
If the statement was intended to mean something else, then clarify it. If the words were wrong, withdraw them. But remaining silent after such a sensitive statement concerning national security is strange.
Madam Maryam, look at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Terrorism has taken peace, economic stability, and thousands of precious lives from this province. Police officers, soldiers, teachers, journalists, religious scholars, children, shopkeepers, and ordinary citizens have all paid the price of this war.
Balochistan, too, has been suffering from unrest for years. Its people have lost loved ones, watched their homes and lives fall apart, and endured insecurity.
Now the question is: How have provinces that are themselves victims of terrorism become a threat to Punjab?
The existence of terrorism in a province does not make its ordinary citizens terrorists. Identify a terrorist by their crime—not by their ethnicity, language, or province.
Pashtuns and Baloch are citizens of this country, and their sacrifices in Pakistan’s defense history are known to everyone. Even today, young men from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan are giving their lives while protecting this country. For families who have sacrificed their sons for Pakistan, looking at them with suspicion and treating them as a threat is like rubbing salt into their wounds.
Punjab is Pakistan’s largest province. Its real strength should not be measured merely by its population or resources, but by its ability to care for the smaller provinces rather than promote hatred against them.
And another thing: the role of an elder brother is not to declare his younger brothers a threat. An elder brother stands with them first in difficult times.
When terrorism strikes Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab should raise its voice. When Balochistan suffers unrest, Punjab should share the pain of its people. The strength of the federation lies in one province understanding the pain of another province as its own.
But if political statements create distrust between the provinces, the people of Pakistan will not benefit. Those forces that are already seeking to damage peace in the country will benefit instead.
The government has the army, the police, intelligence agencies, the law, and state power. If terrorism is taking place, take action against the terrorists, dismantle their networks, and protect the people.
But declaring an entire province a threat is not a solution.
Calling Pashtuns terrorists is not a war against terrorism. Treating Baloch people as suspicious is not national security. Such an attitude only further weakens the trust between the state and its citizens.
Pakistan is already suffering from political division. People are worried about inflation, unemployment, and insecurity. At such a time, it is the responsibility of rulers to unite the nation, not to use provincial differences as political fuel.
If one province is declared a threat to another today, tomorrow another province may adopt the same language. Then there will be suspicion, anger, and prejudice everywhere.
And who will ultimately suffer?
Pakistan.
Maryam Nawaz, the nation wants answers.
You are the Chief Minister of Punjab. Your words are not merely those of a political worker. Every statement you make carries political and governmental weight because of the office you hold.
Therefore, the nation wants to know:
Is Punjab really under threat from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan?
If so, what is the basis for this claim?
If not, then why was this statement made?
And if the statement was wrong, what prevents you from withdrawing it and offering an explanation?
This country is not the property of any family. It does not belong to any political party. Pakistan is not the name of any single city.
If Lahore is Pakistan, then Peshawar is Pakistan too. If Karachi is Pakistan, then Quetta is Pakistan too. If Multan is Pakistan, then Dera Ismail Khan, Swat, Wana, Zhob, and Gwadar are Pakistan too.
Every citizen of this country is an equal Pakistani.
So practice politics, criticize your political opponents, and speak about your government’s performance—but do not draw a line of hatred between the provinces.
The people of Punjab are our brothers. We have no disagreement with them. Our disagreement is with the mindset that uses Punjab’s strength against other provinces.
Raise your voice against terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, solve the problems of their people, take decisive action against terrorists, and do not deepen through your words the wounds that have been refusing to heal for years.
Because Pakistan is not threatened by its provinces; it is threatened by the problems that are hollowing us out from within.
Terrorism is our enemy. Poverty is our enemy. Corruption is our enemy. Unemployment is our enemy. Hatred and prejudice are our enemies.
A Pakistani cannot be the enemy of another Pakistani.
Dividing the provinces may strengthen someone’s political power, but it will never make Pakistan stronger.
The time has come for politics to be based not on hatred, but on the federation.
Long live Pakistan.
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