LAHORE: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari has said the Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif is completing all developmental projects using provincial resources, with no federal project currently ongoing in Punjab.
“All development work is being carried out using the provincial budget,” she said, while addressing a joint press conference with Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat, here at DGPR on Thursday.
Azma said the Punjab government had set a new precedent with exemplary cleanliness arrangements during Eid, which had been widely appreciated by the public. She announced that Punjab’s annual budget would be presented in the Provincial Assembly on June 16. Making an important announcement, she said that the Chief Minister of Punjab had rejected any proposal for new taxes, and the upcoming budget would be tax-free.
In order to expand the tax net, those who previously evaded taxes would now be brought into the system to increase state resources, she clarified.
Praising the Chief Minister’s initiatives, Azma Bokhari said “her effective actions are causing envy in several circles.” She added that the Chief Minister was utilising all provincial resources to complete developmental projects, aiming for equal progress in all provinces so that every citizen can benefit.
Azma Bokhari maintained that “Gandapur is trying to become a cheap Maula Jatt, and that even Aleema Baji herself says they don’t want to come to Islamabad, so they should consult their advisers before making any statements.”
She further stated that the federal budget attempted to provide relief to the people, and due to the strict IMF programme, the federal government presented a balanced budget, while Punjab’s tax-free budget will be presented on June 16.
Azma criticized the Sindh government, saying “they don’t do their own work but express their frustration at Punjab.” She remarked that the Karachi Mayor hadn’t even managed to lift garbage yet.
Provincial Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat stated that Punjab has increased the education development budget by a record 400 percent, raising it from Rs 32 billion to Rs 110 billion. Similarly, the higher education budget was also being increased by up to 500 percent, he said.
He said “Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz believes education should have no boundaries, yet the KP government is showing hostility to students by instructing their Higher Education Department not to cooperate with students. If Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cannot provide laptops and scholarships to its students, it should at least allow them to receive support from other provinces,” he said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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