The political differences within the influential Chaudhry family of Gujrat have resurfaced after Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) MNA Chaudhry Hussain Elahi criticised Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz over alleged discrimination in development funding and the handling of public welfare projects.
Addressing a public gathering at Qila Islam Nagar near Tanda, Hussain Elahi accused the Punjab government of withholding funds for development schemes initiated during the tenure of former chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi in 2022. He claimed that the provincial government had allocated Rs11 billion for purchasing an aircraft for the chief minister but had failed to release Rs3 billion needed to complete development projects in his constituency.
Hussain questioned the government’s spending priorities, arguing that public welfare projects should receive greater attention. He also alleged that the provincial administration was focusing mainly on Lahore while neglecting other districts. He said he was prepared to take the Punjab government to court over what he described as the neglect of Gujrat.
The MNA rejected claims that Rs12 billion had been spent on development in Gujrat, saying residents could assess the actual condition of the city. He further claimed that several roads in his constituency had remained incomplete or in poor condition for four years. He also raised allegations of irregularities in the Suthra Punjab and Model Village projects.
Hussain Elahi’s remarks followed criticism previously voiced by his cousin, Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Chaudhry Salik Hussain. Salik had praised Parvez Elahi’s performance as Punjab chief minister while criticising the incumbent provincial administration during a television appearance.
Maryam Nawaz responded by challenging Salik to provide evidence for his allegations and issuing him a legal notice. She warned of legal proceedings if he failed to substantiate his claims. The chief minister also questioned why Salik continued serving in the provincial and federal coalition government if he believed the administration was corrupt.
Maryam maintained that the disagreement was linked to the transfer of Gujrat’s deputy commissioner. According to her account, Salik wanted an officer of his choice appointed to the position, while she had made a different decision.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari rejected the criticism, saying development work under Maryam Nawaz’s leadership had caused discomfort among certain political opponents. Responding to a video of Hussain Elahi’s speech shared on X, Bokhari questioned the performance of political figures who had held influential positions but, in her view, had not improved conditions in Gujrat. She also defended the provincial government’s development priorities.
Hussain’s father, Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain, also defended Parvez Elahi’s previous government and highlighted the development and public welfare initiatives undertaken during his tenure as chief minister.
The latest exchange has brought longstanding divisions within the Chaudhry family back into focus. Wajahat Hussain and his sons, Hussain and Musa Elahi, have maintained strained relations with the sons of PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Salik and Shafay Hussain.
The family divisions also involve the PTI-aligned faction led by Parvez Elahi. Tensions reportedly increased after Musa Elahi won the Punjab Assembly seat from Kunjah, a constituency previously represented by Parvez Elahi several times since 1985.
Recent statements by Wajahat Hussain and his sons had prompted speculation about a possible reconciliation between rival family groups. However, Parvez Elahi’s son Moonis Elahi rejected suggestions of an imminent reunion. In a post on X, Moonis criticised the Wajahat Hussain faction and suggested that differences over government positions had contributed to the continuing tensions.
The latest statements indicate that political disagreements over development funding, government decisions and family affiliations remain unresolved among the different Chaudhry family factions.
