LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif inaugurated the University of Rasul and Rasul Medical College during her visit to Mandi Bahauddin on Tuesday.
The CM also visited the university’s multipurpose hall, cut a cake with female students, took selfies with them and warmly embraced them. Students welcomed her enthusiastically upon her arrival at the venue.
A student presented a portrait and a book to the chief minister, while female students sang “Tariyan Ton Vi Sohni” in her honour. Students also joined the chief minister in singing the national anthem and presented patriotic songs, including “Agar Poochay Koi, Hamara Shajra Pakistan”, creating an enthusiastic atmosphere at the ceremony.
A smartly turned-out police contingent presented a general salute to students receiving CM scholarships and laptops. During the event, the chief minister embraced a young girl, saying, “I cannot bear to see tears in any daughter’s eyes.” She also personally approached Maimoona, a polio-affected student, and showed her affection.
Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman was specially commended during the ceremony.
The chief minister distributed laptops and Honhaar Scholarship cheques among students. Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat briefed the participants on the Honhaar Scholarship and CM Laptop schemes.
In Mandi Bahauddin, 50 students of public universities and 38 students of private and federal universities received Honhaar Scholarships. Scholarships were also awarded to 15 medical college students and 368 students of colleges in the district under the CM Punjab Honhaar Scholarship Programme.
Under the CM Laptop Scheme, 5,531 students from Mandi Bahauddin and Gujrat received laptops.
A total of 1,055 students of the University of Gujrat, 51 students of the University of Chenab and 610 students from 18 colleges received Honhaar Scholarships. Laptops were distributed among 2,406 students of the University of Gujrat and 521 students of the University of Rasul.
Furthermore, 173 students of the University of Chenab, 87 students of the University of Science and Technology (Maqbool University) and 80 students of the Air University Kharian Campus received laptops.
As many as 39 students of Nawaz Sharif Medical College, 2,021 students from 21 colleges and 204 female students of a nursing college were also provided with laptops.
During the current year, 50,000 scholarships have been allocated to students pursuing 70 different disciplines across Punjab, while 5,069 scholarships have been awarded to students from other provinces.
Moreover, the CM announced the establishment of a state-of-the-art teaching hospital in Rasul and said admissions to Rasul Medical College would begin in January 2027.
At her request, participants stood to acknowledge the contribution of parents, whom she said often set aside their own aspirations to meet their children’s needs.
The chief minister said the Punjab government was committed to ensuring equal opportunities for students and that merit, rather than political influence or personal recommendations, would determine access to government schemes.
“Every child is a living, breathing Pakistan. The government and the state stand with you,” she said, urging young people to remain loyal to their country and never allow the national flag to be lowered.
The chief minister said the government had invested billions of rupees in the University of Rasul, where new departments of social sciences, life sciences and business management had been established to enable students to pursue higher education closer to home.
She said only 149 students were enrolled at the university when she took the oath of office, compared with around 3,000 at present.
She also announced that the distribution of electric bikes would begin on Nov 5, with black bikes for boys and pink ones for girls, to facilitate students’ mobility and reduce their dependence on others for transport.
The chief minister said the government’s laptop and scholarship programmes were being implemented on merit, adding that no one could establish that personal recommendations had influenced the selection of beneficiaries.
She cited the Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar programme, under which the government was working to build 250,000 houses without favouritism, and said more than 35,000 kilometres of roads had been constructed or repaired across Punjab.
The CM said she was prepared to go to jail to protect the people of Punjab and ensure justice, warning influential individuals against exploiting or mistreating poorer citizens.
She called on offenders to stop targeting women and girls, saying that the law must apply equally to the rich and the poor.
Referring to recent incidents involving a girl riding a scooter and a petrol station employee, she expressed concern over the grant of bail to suspects and urged the judiciary to ensure that punishments served as a deterrent.
She said she was willing to meet the chief justice of Pakistan and the chief justice of the Lahore High Court if necessary to raise issues concerning public safety and access to justice.
The chief minister said suspects in rape cases in Punjab were being arrested within two hours, adding that the government wanted women and vulnerable citizens to feel protected by the state.
She said she had personally contacted the girl involved in the scooter incident and had brought the two parties in the petrol station case face to face, stressing that influential individuals could no longer assume they were above the law.
CM Maryam Nawaz urged citizens to report incidents of abuse promptly so that offenders could not repeat their actions. She said the government would stand by victims regardless of the social or political influence of those responsible.
The chief minister said the government was providing students with laptops, scholarships, electric bikes and Chromebooks to help them pursue education and build better futures.
She said the affection shown by students at the ceremony was difficult to repay, adding that even if the government distributed millions of laptops, scholarships and electric bikes, it could not fully reciprocate their love.
She praised the students for singing national songs with enthusiasm, saying their performances had strengthened her confidence in the country’s future.
The chief minister urged young people to reject violence and destructive protests, saying that parents equipped their children with books and laptops rather than weapons.
“Pakistan’s destiny is in the hands of its youth,” she said, calling on students to demonstrate their commitment to the country through constructive and responsible actions.
She also referred to development work in Mandi Bahauddin, including green buses, new markets, a food street and parks, saying she was impressed by the city’s cleanliness.
The chief minister reiterated that her government would continue to pursue development projects and public welfare programmes on merit, adding that she was accountable to Allah Almighty, the people and herself for her decisions.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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