Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Friday said she would “never apologise” for a recent outburst that has deepened a rift between her Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and its coalition partner, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), demanding instead that those who criticised the provincial government during the recent floods apologise to the people of Punjab.

The war of words between the two sides — triggered by disputes over flood compensation —widened to include water rights on the Indus River, with the Punjab chief minister telling the PPP leadership to “keep its advice to itself.”

In retaliation, the PPP, which rules Sindh, staged a protest by having its lawmakers boycott the National Assembly and Senate sessions.

On Wednesday, senior leaders of the PPP and PML-N met in Islamabad in an attempt to defuse the row, with the PPP urging Maryam to “reconsider her tone” when speaking about inter-provincial water rights.

Speaking at the inauguration of a new electric bus service in Lahore, Maryam, without naming the PPP, asked, “Why should Maryam Nawaz apologise? It is the spokespersons who criticised us during the floods who should apologise. I raised my voice for my people. Next time, think a hundred times before speaking about Punjab,” she said.

The chief minister described the electric buses as a “gift” for Lahore’s residents and said the service would be expanded across Punjab.

She stressed that providing quality travel facilities for the public was a top priority of her government and took credit for rolling out development initiatives across the province that, she said, had transformed Lahore.

“The SRT was first introduced in Lahore. Every corner of Lahore reflects the development led by the PML-N,” she said.

CM Maryam said she had continued the development legacy of Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif and had extended projects provincewide.

She claimed residents from other provinces who visit Lahore often say the city feels like a different country and even ask if they could have her as their provincial chief minister.

“Green buses are running throughout Punjab. Developing the whole of Punjab is my mission,” she said.

Highlighting features of the new bus fleet, CM Maryam said the public vehicles would be air-conditioned and equipped with charging points and specific spaces and wheelchairs for passengers with disabilities.

“My car does not have Wi-Fi or charging ports — the public buses do,” she quipped, stressing the administration’s focus on commuter convenience.

She announced a new route from Thokar Niaz Baig to Raiwind via Canal Road, adding that the service will extend to Jallo Mor.

The Green Bus fare will remain Rs20, and travel will be free for women, students, senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

On housing and infrastructure, CM Maryam said 90,000 homes were under construction across all 37 districts of Punjab under the “Apna Ghar, Apni Chhat” programme, with a target of completing 100,000 houses by early November.

She projected that as the programme advances, another 400,000 to 500,000 people would receive housing.

The chief minister also pledged to deliver clean water to doorsteps, upgrade sewerage and drainage systems, pave village roads and lanes, build parks in rural areas and accelerate metro projects in Gujranwala and Faisalabad.

She said some 150,000 workers were engaged under the “Suthra Punjab” drive.

CM Maryam outlined major health-sector plans, saying the country’s largest cancer hospital was being built in Lahore and that cardiac hospitals were planned in multiple districts.

She announced the creation of the “Nawaz Sharif Medical District” in Lahore to consolidate treatment services.

On social protection measures, she promised ration cards for two million families, “Himmat Cards” for persons with disabilities and special “minority cards” for religious minorities.

To tackle smog, she said smog-control guns were being deployed on Lahore’s roads.

Defending her government’s flood response, Maryam said provincial teams were prepared and had saved lives and livestock during the calamity.

She told the audience that around 175 people had suffered snakebites during the floods, but that rescue efforts had prevented fatalities. She praised cabinet members who remained on duty for extended periods, saying many had not returned home for 14 days while responding to the crisis.

CM Maryam rejected what she described as rival politicians’ “mocking” press conferences and dismissed calls to seek international aid.

“When people’s money is spent on people, there is no need to beg,” she said, adding that she had refused to use Benazir Income Support Programme data for flood relief and instead insisted on data specific to flood victims.

Maryam also said she had rang Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to offer assistance after a cloudburst in KP that, she claimed, caused around 500 deaths.

She described the people of KP as “our Pakistani brothers and sisters” and said she had offered technology and support to any provincial government that adopted her plans.

Paying tribute to President Asif Ali Zardari and calling PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari “my brother,” CM Maryam nevertheless warned critics to refrain from politicising Punjab’s troubles.

“I will defend the rights of the people of Punjab. Those who criticised us during the floods should apologise. Before you speak about Punjab again, think a hundred times,” she said.