The newly-appointed caretaker chief minister of Punjab, Professor Hassan Askari Rizvi, has dismissed constant criticism from the PML-N over his appointment by the Election Commission of Pakistan.

"I'm here only for a brief period and it is my responsibility to hold fair elections," he told reporters outside Allama Muhammad Iqbal's mausoleum in Lahore.

"I do not have any political agenda now, nor have I ever had one. My cabinet will be small and composed of politically neutral individuals. [I believe] our performance will help restore political parties' confidence," he said.

That was not all.

"The khalai makhlooq narrative is a political narrative and it is just an election stunt," he said before departing. "These statements will keep coming."

Dawn covers the controversy in its editorial today. Read it here.