LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has been invited to Muscat to receive the prestigious UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award 2026 for Punjab’s Apni Chhat Apna Ghar programme.
The award will be presented to Maryam at a ceremony to be held at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre in Muscat on the World Habitat Day. The CM would attend the ceremony on an invitation, said a handout issued here on Saturday.
Maryam has dedicated the award to the homeless people of Punjab, saying that the international recognition was an honour for those without homes. “The UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award is an honour for the homeless people of Punjab,” she said, adding that the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar programme was not only Pakistan’s but also the world’s best low-cost housing project.
Myanmar, Brazil, Tunisia and England have also been selected for the award. The award is one of the highest international honours associated with the United Nations Human Settlements Program. It recognises individuals, cities, governments, public institutions, civil society, private organisations, research institutes and projects for contributions towards affordable and adequate housing, sustainable urban development, improved basic urban facilities, urban rehabilitation and disaster recovery. Around 200 such awards have been presented over the past 37 years. In Pakistan, the award was previously received by the deputy chairman of the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) in 2007.
Meanwhile, Spanish Ambassador Carlos Aragon Gil de la Serna called on Maryam Nawaz here on Saturday. Measures to promote trade, business, cultural and sports cooperation between Punjab and Spain were discussed. The CM warmly welcomed the ambassador and congratulated Spain on its victory in the FIFA World Cup.
The two sides reviewed opportunities for enhancing business and trade relations between Spain and Punjab. A proposal to establish a Punjab-Spain Business Council to promote bilateral trade and business linkages was considered. The CM proposed formation of a joint working group to address challenges relating to forest fires, air pollution and heatwaves while the possibilities of declaring Lahore and Barcelona sister cities were discussed. Cooperation in culture and arts between Punjab and Spain came under discussion.
The meeting considered establishment of a pilot football academy in Lahore in collaboration with Spain’s La Liga for the training of coaches and footballers. The CM appreciated Spain’s decision to recognise the state of Palestine and paid tribute to the Spanish government for the initiative. She invited the Spanish ambassador and business delegations to visit Lahore and Sialkot, saying that trade and cultural delegations from Spain would be warmly welcomed in Punjab.
The CM said Punjab wanted to benefit from Spain’s experience in dealing with climate change challenges and smog. She expressed interest in benefiting from Barcelona’s experience in urban planning, particularly in making roads and public spaces more people friendly.
The Spanish ambassador thanked the CM for the warm welcome and expressed his interest in further strengthening cooperation between Spain and Punjab.
