LAHORE STAFF REPORTER
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz met with the delegation of the 55th Staff Course from Pakistan Navy War College. The delegation included officers from Pakistan’s three armed forces as well as military officers from 15 friendly countries. The delegation was led by Rear Admiral Sohail Ahmed Azmi.
The Chief Minister warmly welcomed the delegation and reiterated Pakistan’s support for the Palestinian cause, appreciating the presence of Palestinian officers in the delegation. She also praised the Pakistan Navy for its assistance during recent floods.
During the meeting, a detailed briefing was provided on the government of Punjab’s initiatives for public welfare and how challenges have been successfully transformed into achievements. The Pakistan Navy War College delegation praised the innovative measures taken by the Punjab government under Maryam Nawaz’s leadership.
Answering questions from the delegation, the Chief Minister emphasized empowering daughters to progress and develop confidence, responding to a South African officer’s query about inspiring his daughters. She urged the public to vote for leaders committed to public service and to reject those who divide the nation.
Responding to a female naval officer, Maryam Nawaz said Punjab maintains zero tolerance against harassment and is focused on making the province safer for women. She highlighted that her government has promoted new approaches and ideas while rejecting old traditions and praised the Pakistan Navy’s valuable role in rescue and relief operations.
Maryam Nawaz also detailed ongoing development projects, including the completion of the world’s largest 1000-bed public cancer hospital in Lahore within ten months. She mentioned the procurement of a cutting-edge ablation machine from China, which treats cancer without surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy. Furthermore, she announced the establishment of the first Institute of Cardiology in the Sargodha division and the transformation of 2,500 health centers into state-of-the-art hospitals across Punjab. Mobile clinics and field hospitals continue to provide healthcare in rural and urban areas. Programs for children’s heart surgery, dialysis, and transplants have also been initiated, along with the setup of cath labs in 16 districts for heart disease treatment.
Education initiatives include scholarships for 55,000 talented students and the distribution of laptops to 73,000 students. Punjab’s early childhood education centers are considered among the best worldwide, and the government’s autism school project is over 75% complete. For farmers, the first-ever Wheat Support Program and Kissan Card projects have been launched, alongside a transformative agricultural program in the Potohar division aimed at sparking an agricultural revolution.
Under the “Apni Chhat Apna Ghar” housing project, 80,000 homes are under construction, with the target of reaching 100,000 by year-end. Over 483,000 individuals have registered for land and housing schemes. The Chief Minister also spoke about Punjab’s swift and effective response to the historic floods, rescuing 2.5 million people and providing shelter and food. The entire Punjab cabinet worked tirelessly for over two weeks in affected areas.
Punjab has completed the construction and repair of 20,000 kilometers of roads for the first time and is focused on completing all development projects through the Punjab Development Plan and Lahore Development Plan. The government is committed to providing citizens with a safe and healthy environment.
To combat smog, the Chief Minister announced the use of anti-smog guns, the establishment of Punjab’s first wildlife ranger, and the launch of the world’s largest waste management program under the “Clean Punjab” initiative. Efforts are underway to beautify cities and restore tourism sites. The introduction of 1,100 electric buses is underway, promising affordable and efficient public transport for urban and rural areas. Punjab’s first airline, Air Punjab, is also set to launch soon.
Maryam Nawaz highlighted the success of Punjab’s largest call center, which has contributed to a 70% reduction in crime, with crime rates in 16 districts reduced to nearly zero. She praised the expansion of the Safe City program initiated by former Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which now covers 25 districts.
The Chief Minister also emphasized efforts to save livestock during floods, tackle inflation, hoarding, and encroachments through the Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority and a newly established Price Control Department. Punjab was the first province to introduce the Sikh Marriage Act and implemented a KPI system to evaluate police and district administration performance. She called Punjab the largest Sikh tourist corridor in Pakistan and noted the rapid reopening of the Kartarpur Corridor after floods.
Maryam Nawaz stressed the importance of focusing solely on work and performance, with particular attention to keeping food prices affordable. She spoke about supporting small farmers through agricultural research, mechanization, and subsidies on farming equipment. The Chief Minister urged parents to support their daughters’ education and advancement.
To boost employment, over 13,000 new businesses have been started with interest-free loans, underscoring industrialization as the key to economic growth.
Rear Admiral Sohail Ahmed Azmi praised the extraordinary achievements of the Punjab government. The naval delegation included officers from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Oman, Palestine, South Africa, Turkey, UAE, and Yemen.
