ISLAMABAD: Maryam Nawaz assumed office as the 19th chief minister of Punjab on February 26, 2024. To understand her administration’s priorities, one must examine where Punjab has allocated its financial resources.
Tracking the province’s spending -- through a sector-by-sector breakdown of budget allocations, flagship project announcements and their implementation status -- offers a clear lens into the government’s strategic focus and policy direction.
Eighty-six weeks since February 26, the policy priorities of the Punjab government have come out quite clear: transport, education, and law and order. The FY 2025-26 budget underscores this direction, Rs 120 billion for roads and Rs 141.5 billion for the broader transport sector -- a strong emphasis on mobility and infrastructure.
Six hundred and three days since February 26, education has also emerged as a clear priority. The overall education budget has increased by 21 per cent, rising from Rs 670 billion to Rs 812 billion. More strikingly, the development portion of the education budget has more than doubled -- from Rs65.5 billion to Rs148 billion, marking a 126 per cent increase. This signals a significant push towards building new classrooms and laboratories, and scaling up scholarships and learning resources.
Fifteen thousand hours since February 26, the allocation for law and order -- based on police-specific figures -- has increased from Rs190 billion to Rs300 billion under the broader law and order envelope. This represents a 58 per cent rise, indicating a significant ramp-up in security spending and a potential shift in the government’s approach to policing and public safety.
Under its transport agenda, the government plans to roll out 1,100 electric buses across Punjab in Phase I and provide 20,000 e-bikes to students on easy instalments. A total of Rs28 billion has been allocated for mass transit initiatives in Lahore (including the Yellow Line), Faisalabad and Gujranwala -- covering projects such as the Faisalabad Metro Bus and environmentally friendly electric buses. The transport strategy has three clear objectives: decongest Lahore, electrify public transport fleets, and lay the groundwork for three major mass-transit corridors across the province.
In the education sector, there’s the Public Schools Re-organisation Programme (PSRP), the ‘School on Wheels’ Mobile Education Units, and the Honhar Scholarship. The PSRP targetsexcess capacity and resource-use inefficiencies within the provincial school system. The mobile education units -- often electric rickshaws or canopy vehicles -- are designed to deliver teachers and learning materials to underserved areas. The Honhar Scholarship offers financial support of up to Rs 50,000 for high-achieving students.
Yes, the Punjab government is investing in connectivity as an economic enabler and re-establishing transport as a growth multiplier after years of stagnation. Yes, e-buses and e-bikes represent a clear movement toward low-carbon public mobility. But, these flagship projects focus on Lahore corridors, metro routes and city-centric mobility, when farm-to-market link roads remain grossly underfunded relative to need.
Yes, the fiscal prioritisation of internal security is clear. Yes, the Safe City Authority expansion, digital command centres, and women-specific police stations mark an institutional modernisation drive. But, Punjab’s law-and-order model remains top-down, urban-centric, and reactive. Punjab needs to translate ‘spending into safety’ by focusing on community-linked policing and performance-based incentives.
Lo and behold, the PTI has governed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) for 11 years, while the PPP has ruled Sindh for 17 consecutive years -- what do these long tenures, and their budgetary allocations, say about governance and intent?
Eighty-six weeks since February 26, Punjab’s priorities are now visible -- mobility, learning and safety. Six hundred and three days since February 26, Punjab has set its direction.Fifteen thousand hours since February 26, Punjab has chosen its three pillars -- transport, education and security. Money shows intent. Budgets reveal priorities. Delivery will prove direction.
