BAHAWALPUR/LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Thursday criticised Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), saying those playing the “game of narratives” pushed the country towards destruction and to the brink of default. While the public is dying of hunger, they are preoccupied with staging sit-ins outside jails, she regretted.
Addressing the ‘Honhar Scholarship and Laptop Scheme’ in Lodhran, Maryam said every province receives a substantial share under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, adding that whatever resources Punjab has, are being spent directly on public welfare. The chief minister said providing relief to people requires hard work, adding that what male chief ministers had failed to achieve in terms of establishing peace and order had been accomplished by a woman chief minister.
She said that Punjab was safe for women and announced that 2026 would be observed as the “Year of Youth” in Punjab. She announced a wide-ranging youth- and welfare-focused development agenda, including the distribution of 100,000 electric bikes to students during the upcoming ‘Year of Youth’, establishment of IT cities across Punjab, and the creation of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Centre in Lahore. She also announced that 100,000 laptops and 100,000 merit-based scholarships would be awarded next year, along with the introduction of a ‘Parwaz Card’ for skilled youth.
She congratulated Provincial Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat on the successful launch of laptop and Honhar Scholarship schemes and appreciated all students who received laptops and scholarships.
The Punjab CM, in her message on International Migrants Day, described migration as a positive force and a Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (SAW), noting that it has become an inevitable reality due to global social, economic, and cultural changes. Highlighting the contribution of overseas Pakistanis, the chief minister termed them Pakistan’s economic and social ambassadors, whose remittances play a vital role in strengthening the national economy.
The chief minister warned that illegal migration poses serious risks to human lives and violates international laws, calling for greater public awareness and the promotion of legal channels to address the issue. She added that the Punjab government is working to resolve issues faced by overseas Pakistanis through improved transparency and better service delivery.
