Punjab made history with the appointment of Maryam Nawaz Sharif as its first female chief minister in February 2024. Compared to the tenure of CM Usman Buzdar, which was often criticised for administrative inertia, lack of vitality, and indecisive governance, Maryam Nawaz’s leadership has brought a visible shift. Her administration has pursued an assertive, reform-oriented governance style, prioritising data transparency, human development, and a responsive welfare model.
Empowering the youth through the “three Es” vision
Where Buzdar-era youth policies lacked coherence and reach, Maryam Nawaz Sharif introduced the comprehensive “Three Es” framework: Education, Empowerment, and Equality. The CM Punjab Honhaar Scholarship Programme has benefited 30,000 students with Rs15 million, and phase two promises support for 20,000 more. The revived CM Punjab Laptop Scheme, sidelined during Buzdar’s term, has reconnected students with digital learning and job-readiness tools, ensuring better academic competitiveness and economic participation.
Inclusive and supportive educational reforms
Under the previous government, little progress was made in addressing systemic barriers to education access. Maryam Nawaz has prioritised inclusive education through pragmatic steps: dedicated transport for girls’ colleges, the CM School Meal Programme reaching 400,000 children daily, and infrastructure upgrades in public schools. The opening of Punjab’s first Autism School in Lahore, along with the introduction of electric buses and e-bikes for students, marks a radical departure from past neglect toward a more inclusive, technology-integrated model.
The School Outsourcing Programme under Maryam Nawaz has achieved 80 per cent of its targets. Nearly 71,000 furniture units, 10,000 early childhood classrooms, and thousands of repaired classrooms mark a decisive investment in learning environments, especially in rural and semi-urban areas.
Women’s empowerment and social inclusion
Unlike the previous administration that emphasised infrastructure but overlooked social inclusion, the current government has infused dignity and equity into its governance model. The Punjab Dhee Rani Programme supported over 3,000 brides with household essentials, and 50,000 families benefit from the Minorities Card initiative. Notably, women’s empowerment has become a central pillar: dedicated support programmes, vocational training, transport, and special protections for women in public spaces have gained legislative and executive backing, making this one of the most gender-focused administrations in Punjab’s history.
Governance through digital discipline
To improve governance, the Punjab government has introduced digital oversight mechanisms. Real-time dashboards allow continuous monitoring of education, health, and law enforcement, all visible from the CM’s office and residence. This has fostered responsiveness, policy transparency, and data-based decisions. CM Maryam Nawaz’s field visits, daily sector briefings, and focus on outcome-driven governance sharply contrast with her predecessor’s limited visibility and bureaucratic delays.
Agricultural advancement and farmer empowerment
The current leadership has invigorated the agriculture sector with the “Kissan Khushal, Punjab Khushal” programme, which includes free tractors for top-yielding small wheat growers. Agriculture Malls in Sahiwal and Multan offer consolidated access to inputs and guidance. Recent months have seen the launch of the second phase of green tractors, solarised tube wells, and model agriculture schemes. Additionally, the Kissan Card has enabled the disbursement of Rs100 billion in interest-free loans to small farmers.
Green energy and the Roshan Gharana vision
Environmental sustainability has shifted from slogans to tangible actions. The “Roshan Hoga Har Gharana” initiative is distributing residential solar panels and solarising tube wells across Punjab. These reforms aim to reduce the energy burden and establish long-term energy resilience, especially in rural regions previously underserved.
Crisis response and emergency leadership
During the torrential rains on 10 July 2025, Lahore was inundated with 136 mm of rain within eight hours, triggering a swift and coordinated emergency response led personally by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. Her immediate mobilisation of WASA, police, and traffic departments evoked memories of her uncle Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s tenure, when he would personally step out in rain boots to assist the public. Maryam Nawaz’s proactive approach not only mitigated urban flooding in Lahore but also extended to rain-hit areas such as Sialkot, Gujrat, Chiniot, Kasur, Jhelum, Chakwal, Rawalpindi, Ferozewala, and Sargodha, reflecting a more centralised and responsive disaster management strategy under her leadership.
Ashura Muharram
During the ten sacred days of Ashura Muharram (1447 AH), Punjab demonstrated a model of inter-agency coordination, with Punjab Police, civil administration, Pakistan Rangers, and the Pakistan Army working in unison to maintain peace and religious harmony. High-risk districts like Jhang, Bhakkar, and Lahore witnessed heightened security, including 24/7 surveillance, effective crowd management, and joint flag marches. This vigilant approach ensured an incident-free observance of Ashura. The chief minister praised the dedication of law enforcement leadership, particularly district and regional police officials and the inspector general (IG) of Punjab, for their role in ensuring a safe and respectful environment during this spiritually significant time.
Revamping the transport sector
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s approval of 380 electric buses for Lahore and Gujranwala signals a bold move toward eco-friendly transport. With immediate procurement and plans for expansion to other cities, along with EV charging stations and a transport command centre, the initiative reflects her province-wide vision for modern, sustainable mobility.
Rescue 1122: a symbol of swift action and life-saving
The Rescue 1122 service has done remarkable work during the recent rain emergency in Punjab. The rescue of a shepherd from a flash flood near Mari Kanjur village in Attock district received nationwide coverage as a success of CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s proactive monsoon preparedness. Timely action by Rescue 1122 saved many lives during recent flash floods in various parts of Punjab, reflecting strong emergency coordination. In stark contrast, a delayed response in a similar KPK incident led to 13 deaths, highlighting Punjab’s superior crisis management under CM Maryam’s leadership. From July 2024 to June 2025, the department handled over 29,000 fire cases, with an estimated saving of Rs62.9 billion.
Infrastructure and road development
Infrastructure development has seen accelerated implementation under the current regime. Over 12,000 km of roads have been constructed in the past year across Punjab, with Multan alone witnessing 90 km of critical development. The 2025 target of 19,000 km is ambitious, yet appears achievable given the current project momentum.
Ensuring public safety
Modernisation of policing continues under the Safe Cities Authority, with a new Punjab Police Command and Control Centre in Bahawalpur enhancing surveillance. The administration’s zero-tolerance policy on favouritism is gradually shifting public perception of law enforcement credibility. In a rare public show of accountability in South Asian politics, the CM’s own son received a traffic challan.
ment has seen accelerated implementation under the current regime. Over 12,000 km of roads have been constructed in the past year across Punjab, with Multan alone witnessing 90 km of critical development.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz announced a compensation of Rs 500,000 each for the three victims, a woman and two children, injured in a lion attack in Johar Town, Lahore. The lion, illegally kept at a private farmhouse, escaped and attacked passersby. In response, Punjab’s Wildlife Department seized 18 illegally held lions across the province, arrested five people, filed multiple FIRs, and initiated a crackdown, including mandatory sterilisation of big cats and banning their commercial trade, to ensure public safety.
Under the current administration, the Crime Control Department (CCD) has scaled up anti-terror and anti-crime operations, especially since May 2025. Coordinated crackdowns in Lahore, Sargodha, Gujranwala and the rest of the province have eliminated several terrorist modules.
Civic order through PERA
The Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority (PERA) has emerged as a robust mechanism to combat encroachments, price manipulation, and civic disorder. Officers across districts are empowered to take swift, on-the-spot actions. The authority is widely seen as an administrative tool that was needed, now actively reshaping urban discipline.
Environment protection
A new Green Punjab mobile app has institutionalised citizen engagement with environmental governance. Complaints about garbage burning, industrial emissions, and illegal dumping are routed instantly to enforcement agencies. This initiative has filled a major accountability gap and will ensure efficient environmental governance.
Suthra Punjab: a model of civic efficiency
Pakistan’s largest cleanliness drive, Suthra Punjab, was launched province-wide with real-time monitoring tools, public-private collaboration, and geo-tagging. Its success was notably evident during Eid ul Adha, where for the first time, no waste from sacrificial animals was left unattended. Every sanitation worker received Rs10,000 in recognition, reinforcing the administration’s acknowledgement of ground-level efforts.
Overall, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has introduced reforms and institutionalised accountability, citizen responsiveness, and inclusive development. The July 2025 Punjab budget echoed this vision, a development-focused, equity-oriented, and fiscally responsible document praised by analysts for its balance of reform and relief. With these foundations, Punjab appears to be moving steadily toward becoming Pakistan’s most administratively and economically resilient province.
The writer, who holds an MPhil in English Literature, is an educationist and youth analyst affiliated with PML-N.
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