Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Saturday defended Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz amid recent criticism of her use of a government jet for a private visit and her remarks on the province facing a terrorism threat from neighbouring provinces.

“The issue these days is not the plane or Maryam Nawaz’s statement; the real issue is with Maryam Nawaz’s performance and her rising popularity,” Aurangzeb said in a post on X.

She said that it had already been made clear that CM Maryam would bear the expenses of her visit to London.

The chief minister had travelled to London last week to attend the graduation ceremony of her daughter, Mahnoor, and returned to Lahore on Wednesday. The Punjab government insists the CM bore all expenses of the trip.

The development had followed CM Maryam’s remarks that Punjab faced a greater security threat from “neighbouring provinces than from neighbouring countries”.

The remarks were widely panned, with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Friday passing a majority resolution seeking action against her under Article 6 of the Constitution over the remarks, after suspending the day’s agenda.

However, during the assembly session, KP Information Minister Shafi Jan had resorted to making derogatory and sexist remarks about the Punjab chief minister and Information Minister Azma Bokhari.

Aurangzeb said on Saturday that those using CM Maryam’s statement to “spread hatred among the provinces and division in the nation” should apologise to the public.

Criticising Jan’s remarks, she said his “cheap rhetoric” was in line with the PTI and its leadership’s “detestable tradition of using foul language against women”.

“Unfortunately, these elements have been imposed on KP who are not even aware of the traditions of the proud Pashtuns who respect their mothers, sisters and daughters,” she said.

“Terrorists blow human bodies to pieces with guns and suicide jackets, and their facilitators use language as a weapon to insult humans, especially women,” Aurangzeb said.

Meanwhile, the KP information minister was also criticised for his remarks against CM Maryam and Bokhari. PML-N’s Samar Haroon Bilour reacted to the comments on X, saying: “I wonder what Shafi Jan’s mother will be thinking about her son tonight.”

Journalist Asad Ali Toor termed the PTI an “expert of self-goals”. He said that Jan had given a “disgusting statement” against Bokhari when CM Maryam and the PML-N was under pressure.

“Shameful and strongly condemn this statement. Shafi Jan should immediately render an unconditional apology not only to Azma Bokhari but also to all Pakistani women!” he said.

“Basically these guys are raised in an environment where respect for women is not even norm, they treat women like a commodity and look down upon them.. shameless fellow,” said former PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry.

Meher Bano Qureshi, the daughter of former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, said: “An apology is due. There is a lot to criticise when it comes to Maryam Nawaz and her coterie of hand maidens but the unparliamentary and ungentlemanly language used is wrong and deeply offensive.

“As a woman and a fellow party member I would urge my brother Shafi Jan to retract his words and tender an apology,” she said.

“Of course, the kind of filth spewed in Punjab Assembly is just reflective of their own upbringing. We should not and must not stoop to their level,” she said.