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The party has warned that it may initiate legal proceedings if the chief minister fails to meet its demands, escalating a political dispute that emerged during campaigning for the November 8 by-election in National Assembly constituency NA-77, Gujranwala.
The legal notice was issued on the instructions of PMML President Khalid Masood Sindhu through the party’s lawyer, Muhammad Amir Habib.
It calls on Maryam Nawaz to publicly apologise for what the party describes as defamatory and baseless allegations, remove the relevant social media post from X, formerly Twitter, and provide a written assurance that similar statements will not be repeated.
The notice gives the chief minister seven days to comply with the demands.
PMML rejects allegations
The party has strongly rejected the allegations, maintaining that it is a registered political organisation recognised by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
According to the legal notice, PMML contested the 2024 general elections under the electoral symbol of a chair, arguing that its participation in the democratic process demonstrates its status as a political party.
The party has described the alleged association with prohibited organisations as damaging to its reputation and political standing.
It maintains that such statements could undermine public confidence in the organisation and affect its ability to participate in political activities.
PMML has therefore sought a formal clarification and apology, insisting that political criticism should not involve allegations that it considers unsupported by evidence.
The party has also reserved the right to pursue further legal remedies if its demands are not addressed within the stipulated period.
Dispute follows NA-77 by-election campaign
The legal development follows a heated political campaign surrounding the NA-77 by-election in Gujranwala, where Maryam Nawaz criticised opposition parties and questioned their political alliances.
During her campaign remarks, the Punjab chief minister alleged that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had joined hands with other organisations for the electoral contest.
She also called on the Election Commission of Pakistan to take notice of what she described as an alliance between opposition groups.
The comments triggered objections from PMML, which interpreted the statements as an attempt to associate the party with banned organisations.
The party has now taken the matter into the legal domain, seeking an apology and removal of the disputed social media content.
The disagreement highlights growing political tensions surrounding electoral competition and the use of public platforms by senior political figures.
Party cites electoral performance
In its legal notice, PMML has also referred to its performance in the November 8 by-election in NA-77, claiming that it emerged as the second-largest political group in the contest.
The party has cited this electoral performance as evidence of its political presence and participation in the country’s democratic process.
Its position is that allegations questioning its legitimacy or associating it with prohibited groups could have consequences for its public image and political activities.
However, the party’s claims and the chief minister’s remarks remain disputed positions, with the legal notice representing PMML’s account of the controversy.
Seven-day deadline puts pressure on chief minister
The seven-day deadline now places pressure on Maryam Nawaz to respond to the demands outlined by the party.
The notice seeks three principal actions: a public apology, deletion of the disputed post from X and a written undertaking against repeating similar allegations.
If the demands are not met, PMML has indicated that it could approach the relevant legal forums to pursue its case.
Any subsequent proceedings could require examination of the original statements, their context, the material supporting the allegations and the legal standards governing defamation.
The dispute also raises broader questions about the responsibilities of political leaders when making public statements about rival parties, particularly allegations involving links to prohibited organisations.
Political parties in Pakistan frequently exchange accusations during election campaigns, but allegations that could damage an organisation’s reputation may lead to legal challenges.
For now, the matter remains at the notice stage, and no final legal determination has been made regarding the competing positions.
The coming days could prove significant in determining whether the dispute is resolved through a public response or develops into a formal legal confrontation between the Punjab government and PMML.
