Maryam vows to bring Punjab at par with Japan’s infrastructure level
LAHORE: By the grace and mercy of Allah Almighty, the economy has been set in the right direction, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, said. While addressing a gathering of the overseas Pakistani community in the Japanese city, she said, “After a long time, those living far from their homes got good news as Good news is coming from Pakistan. Seeing the overseas gathering, it seems as if I am holding a big congregation of people in Lahore.”
She highlighted, “In the past, friendly countries were getting angry with Pakistan. The overseas Pakistanis have played a major role in improving the economy. The overseas Pakistanis send their remittances earned through their hard work to their homeland and this money should be spent on the development and progress of Pakistan.”
She said that she congratulates everyone on winning the war against India adding that Punjab will now see development on the pattern of Japan. She highlighted that this journey of development would continue by the Grace of Allah Almighty.
The CM assured that the problems of overseas Pakistanis will be resolved on a priority basis and will not have to wait for the redressal of their grievances. She maintained, “When the overseas Pakistanis send their remittances, their children should attain good education and a nice environment. The increase in remittances manifest public confidence in the government’s policies. The inflation rate has come down from 38 to 3/4 percent in a few months. Witnessing the development, cleanliness and infrastructure of Japan, we would like to have such a level of development, cleanliness and infrastructure in Pakistan as well.”
She outlined, “We are improving the infrastructure of Punjab. Load shedding and terrorism had started again due to previous incompetent rulers. Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif built excellent roads with years of hard work. Potholes were formed in the roads due to bad governance. We want to bring Punjab at par with the level of Japan’s infrastructure.”
She affirmed, “In the previous tenure, the poor did not get medicines in the hospitals, now 90% of medicines are available free of cost. In a few months, 6/7 thousand children have undergone heart surgeries. Cancer, blood diseases, bone marrow transplant and other hospitals will be built in Punjab. We are providing door-to-door treatment through Clinics-on-Wheels and Field Hospitals. PERA force has been formed to eliminate inflation and encroachment.”
The CM added, “Punjab is being rebuilt after undergoing ‘Suthra’ Punjab project. In countries like Japan, people walk on the streets without any fear. Earlier, murders and other crimes used to occur in Punjab, due to dedicated efforts of CCD, 70% of crimes have gone down. In 7 months, 70,000 people have received loans to build houses, hundreds of houses are being built on a daily basis. 100,000 houses will be built by December and 500,000 houses in five years.”
She emphasized, ‘Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar’ program is close to Nawaz Sharif’s heart. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif urges me to purify my intentions for Allah Almighty and serve humanity. The new metrobus project in Gujranwala and Faisalabad will be completed soon. The world’s largest ‘Suthra’ Punjab project has been launched in Punjab with a population of 150 million. The employees of Suthra Punjab go to every neighbourhood to collect garbage.”
She said, “We want to link the ‘Suthra’ Punjab program with the waste management system of Yokohama. People now visit and acknowledge that they have never seen Punjab so neat and clean as ever before. Under the ‘Suthra’ Punjab program, 150,000 people got employment, and machinery worth 25 billion was acquired. The Environment Force is working for the improvement of the environment. We want to continuously monitor the air quality index and improve its level so that people do not get sick.”
She noted, “People come from all four provinces visit Punjab for medical treatment. The previous government did not make a single hospital or a road in the last four years of their tenure. The Punjab government is establishing South Asia’s largest cancer hospital in Lahore. People get surprised overseeing ongoing swift pace of construction work in the cancer hospital”
She underscored, “The former Prime Minister used to come to the office at 12 o’clock and used to go back home at 3 o’clock. Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif sits in his office from 7 o’clock in the morning till 12 o’clock at night. In the past, the country was handed over to the IMF. Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz are working day and night for the welfare of the people of Pakistan.”
She revealed, “I am trying to learn new things every day to improve the condition of the people of Punjab. 20,000 kilometres of new roads in Punjab have been completed within a span of one year. Now no road will be found in a dilapidated condition in Punjab. If I see a pile of garbage anywhere, I direct the relevant department to fix the issue. The best electric tram in Asia is being run in Lahore.”
She disclosed, “1100 new buses are being brought to every city in Punjab by December and only Rs. 20 will be charged as a fare. The Punjab government has introduced one of the largest Honhaar scholarship programs in the history of Pakistan for the students in Punjab. The Punjab government will bear the education expenses of those whose parents cannot afford it.”
She highlighted, “We will also teach our talented students Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics. About 100,000 laptops are being given to the talented students. Homeless people are becoming homeowners by paying installments instead of rent. 150,000 new businesses have been started in Punjab by giving interest-free loans.”
She outlined, “Clean drinking water is a problem which persists across Pakistan, we will provide clean drinking water within a span of one year in Punjab. I profoundly extend my gratitude to the overseas Pakistanis community for accorded me a warm reception. President PML-N Nawaz Sharif has sent greetings to his brothers and sisters living in Japan. I feel surprised over getting a wonderful reception in the Japanese city of Yokohama.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025