LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Information and Culture, Azma Bokhari, has said that compared to the general elections, the PML-N’s vote bank in the recent by-elections increased from 20,000 to over 100,000 votes.
She emphasized that this clearly shows the public rejected “Nak De Koke” politics and instead voted for welfare-oriented initiatives such as electric buses, free scholarships, the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar programme, and the Kissan Card.
Azma Bokhari added that Suhail Afridi is fearful of Maryam Nawaz’s development projects, and this fear has intensified following PML-N’s by-election victories. She further remarked that Maryam Nawaz has restored Punjab, previously left in disarray under the previous administration, to a stable and progressive path. “Whenever good news comes for the public, it becomes a ‘dark day’ for the opposition,” she added.
Speaking at a press conference at DGPR, she said that in the by-elections held across 23 constituencies in Punjab, the public once again rejected the politics of abuse, hatred, and chaos, and voted for service and performance. The Chief Minister’s transparent governance model, self-set performance indicators, and over ninety ongoing development projects demonstrate that the current government focuses on tangible results, not just promises, she added.
According to her, the public has recognized and appreciated every initiative that directly benefits citizens, including free hospitals, the Kissan Card, Himmat Card, Dhi Rani Program, WASA reforms, and development programs in Lahore and Gujrat. Azma Bokhari highlighted that those, including Suhail Afridi, who have promoted politics of disruption and propaganda, are now facing the consequences of their actions.
She noted that over 420 PTI party leaders and lawyers, along with more than 190 family members, have met the founder of PTI in jail.
Responding to a question, she said that the Chief Minister has no interference in jail or administrative matters, which remain fully under the authority of the prison administration.
Azma Bokhari said the public has now clearly voted for service-oriented politics rather than for insults, sedition, or disruption. Citizens endorsed initiatives such as Saaf Punjab, laptops, electric buses, electric bikes, free medicines, and mobile clinics. Even in Haripur, despite PTI having its own government, the people did not vote for them, recognizing that votes should be given only to those delivering tangible services, she said.
She criticized the opposition for focusing solely on attacking the federal government and Lahore, asserting that their politics revolve around conflict and provocation, which is why the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have completely rejected them.
Azma Bokhari emphasized that all provinces should engage in healthy competition for development. If Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz can complete over 90 projects in just one and a half years, other provinces should also be able to do the same, she said. She noted that the Chief Minister not only launches projects but also conducts a formal performance review every three months. “In her dictionary, there is no word ‘will do’; she simply gets the work done,” she said.
She contrasted this with other administrations that governed for 10 to 15 years but could not deliver similar results. The Chief Minister personally supervises projects daily. Nawaz Sharif Cardiac Center in Sargodha will be operational by December 31, and over 50,000 patients have already received OPD check-ups. Citizens from other provinces also come to Punjab for treatment in its hospitals, she added.
Azma Bokhari highlighted that PTI candidates, including Hammad Azhar’s nephew and the Haripur candidate, actively campaigned but still failed to secure public votes. The people of Punjab clearly sent the message that they voted for development, not chaos. She noted that PTI’s recent claims of being prevented from campaigning are baseless, as the government never restricted them — the public simply rejected them.
She also highlighted Punjab’s efforts in improving air quality, smog control, and innovative strategies such as anti-smog guns, which have drawn international attention. Even the Philippine ambassador praised Punjab’s environmental initiatives and expressed interest in learning from them. Propaganda against anti-smog guns ceased when air quality in Kahna improved immediately through their use, she said.
Azma Bokhari concluded by stating that the people of Punjab have proven that they value laptops, scholarships, healthcare, education, and development — not slings, scissors, or hatred. The recent by-elections are a victory for development, peace, and public service.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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