LAHORE: US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker has paid tribute to CM Maryam Nawaz for her projects aimed at women’s empowerment.
Baker called on CM Punjab on Wednesday during which discussions held for the promotion of education, security and investment in Punjab. The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in areas including security, artificial intelligence (AI), digital assets and energy. It was also agreed to engage US experts to help Punjab deal with floods and smog.
The proposal to hold a Punjab-US Business and Investment Forum in Lahore was also reviewed. Baker appreciated the holding of the Basant festival in Lahore and lauded the Punjab government’s measures for ensuring a safe Basant.
“I like Pakistan very much, particularly the people of Punjab and Lahore, who are very lively,” the US Chargé d’Affaires said.
Speaking on the occasion, CM Maryam Nawaz said the Basant festival would be further expanded next year. “We are taking legal measures to empower women in Punjab,” she said, adding that the provincial government was formulating policies for development and addressing environmental challenges.
She said around one million overseas Pakistanis from Punjab living in the United States were a valuable asset for the country. “Advance measures during the monsoon and the establishment of district WASAs have made it possible to drain rainwater quickly,” she said.
“Punjab is changing, and its cities and villages are being reformed,” the chief minister said. As Pakistan’s first woman chief minister, she had transformed women’s empowerment from a symbolic commitment into practical measures, she added.
She said an electric scooter scheme and electro bus service had been launched to facilitate women’s mobility in Punjab. “Interest-free loans are being provided for small businesses to help women move towards financial independence. The Direct Pink Button and Virtual Police Station are pioneering initiatives for women’s protection,” she said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026