Punjab’s youth and farmers: Maryam Nawaz’s confidence in her people

Punjab is Pakistan’s largest province in terms of population. The youth play a vital and fundamental role in the province, which has a population of around 15 crore. Alongside the youth, Punjab’s farmers are the backbone of Pakistan’s agriculture. The youth and farmers of Punjab represent the province’s future, and the people have high hopes for both.

Maryam Nawaz is providing both groups with the facilities and resources they need to meet the modern-day requirements. The credit for launching practical initiatives and relief programmes on such a large scale for the youth and farmers in Punjab for the first time goes to Maryam Nawaz. In the past, many people claimed to be pro-youth and pro-farmer, but Maryam Nawaz is the one who has delivered tangible results. Although she never announced such extensive relief measures for the youth and farmers during her election campaign, she is implementing them today.

In the past, children from poor families in Punjab could hardly imagine that the government would award them scholarships for securing good marks or provide them with expensive laptops. The Punjab government is distributing laptops to 112,000 students and scholarships to 108,000 students in the second phase. The phase has already started in Sahiwal and Gujranwala. Scholarships will now be granted to students in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur, and Sargodha divisions. Laptops will also be distributed there.

The Core i7, 13th-generation laptops being distributed by the Punjab government to young people are priced between Rs165,000 and Rs260,000 in the market. Just imagine: can the son or daughter of a labourer or daily-wage worker afford such an expensive laptop? Certainly not. Maryam Nawaz is helping fulfil the dreams of children from underprivileged families. In addition, she is set to distribute 100,000 electric bikes among young people.

In return, Maryam Nawaz makes only one appeal to the youth: remain loyal to Pakistan and do not become fuel for someone else’s politics by falling prey to their manipulation.

A few days ago, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz held a detailed meeting with representatives of farmers from across the province. To the best of my knowledge, no previous ruler had invited farmers’ representatives to the Chief Minister’s Office for such a detailed discussion or accorded them the respect that Maryam Nawaz did.

During the meeting, Maryam Nawaz listened to the farmers’ problems, demands, and suggestions with an open mind. She made 10 major announcements aimed at the welfare of farmers and bringing a revolution in the agricultural sector.

One of the biggest steps Maryam Nawaz has taken for Punjab’s farmers is the announcement of a dedicated Kisan Bank. The bank will be exclusively established for farmers. Accepting another major demand of the farming community, Maryam Nawaz has increased the wheat support price from Rs3,500 to Rs4,500. She has also announced an increase in the per-acre loan limit under the Kisan Card to Rs33,500 for the purchase of DAP fertiliser.

Another longstanding and major demand of farmers was to curb water theft. Maryam Nawaz has announced a vigorous campaign against the theft of water. The Punjab government is also providing 50,000 tractors to farmers.

The distribution of such a large number of tractors is also giving a boost to Punjab’s tractor industry. One can imagine how many thousands of people depend on this single programme for their livelihoods. Punjab has a large tractor manufacturing industry, which provides employment to thousands of people.

The Punjab government’s Kisan Card programme is also progressing successfully, with more than one million farmers across the province benefiting from it.

The biggest achievement of Maryam Nawaz’s initiatives so far is that she has placed her trust in the people of Punjab. She is providing loans to people, without hesitation, to start businesses, build their homes and strengthen agriculture. The recovery rate of these loans stands at 100 percent.

There is no precedent in the past for a government providing loans on such a large scale to people associated with different sectors and achieving a 100 percent recovery rate. Whether it is the Asaan Karobar Programme, the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar programme or the Kisan Card, billions of rupees have been disbursed in loans to the people of Punjab. Recovery so far stands at 100 per cent, with not a single case of default reported.

That is why the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar programme has ranked first among five major projects recognised by the United Nations, earning Maryam Nawaz the top award. Several foreign leaders and ministers attending the programme were astonished at how a government could construct 220,000 houses in just 18 months.

This is Maryam Nawaz’s greatest achievement on the international stage so far.

The people of Punjab gave Maryam Nawaz a mandate, and she is honouring that mandate by placing her trust in them and striving to empower them in every possible way, making them stronger and more self-reliant. When a government trusts its people, the people also accept that government wholeheartedly.

Recently, some criminal incidents occurred in Punjab, prompting Maryam Nawaz to express strong displeasure. People in Punjab are appreciating the working methods of the Crime Control Department (CCD). It is only criminals who fear the CCD, while ordinary citizens have a very positive opinion of it.

Compared with the past, Punjab has witnessed a significant decline in criminal incidents. Maryam Nawaz’s position is clear: she will not succumb to any political pressure, and anyone who commits a crime will be punished, regardless of how influential or powerful they may be.

This narrative of Maryam Nawaz is gaining considerable popularity among the public. Her critics, as always, continue to oppose it through the lens of prejudice. However, the slander and criticism of such biased people do not affect Maryam Nawaz. Her only priority is the protection of the people of Punjab, and she is not prepared to compromise on this commitment.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026