- Punjab CM emphasizes rehabilitation of public transport and road infrastructure catalyst for employment creation and economic growth
- Reaffirmes her government’s unwavering commitment to safeguard press freedom
LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Saturday reaffirmed that public service, rapid development, and transparent governance remain the defining priorities of the PML-N government as she chaired a detailed meeting with members of the National and Provincial Assemblies and party ticket holders from Sahiwal Division.
The meeting reviewed progress on key public welfare projects, law and order, road rehabilitation, the “Suthra Punjab” cleanliness initiative, and ongoing reforms in the health and transport sectors.
The chief minister said that the noticeable decline in Punjab’s crime rate had helped strengthen peace and stability across both urban and rural areas. She emphasized that the rehabilitation of public transport and road infrastructure was not merely an investment in mobility but a catalyst for employment creation and economic growth across districts.
Highlighting the “Suthra Punjab” drive, Maryam Nawaz said the initiative went beyond routine cleanliness campaigns, describing it as “the beginning of a new civic culture” aimed at transforming Punjab’s cities and communities.
Parliamentarians and party representatives from Sahiwal Division praised the chief minister’s leadership, particularly the rehabilitation of 20,000 kilometers of roads across Punjab and the establishment of a modern cath lab and electrobus service in Sahiwal.
They said that under her dynamic leadership, Punjab had emerged as a peaceful, clean, and fast-developing province, with initiatives such as the cath labs and electrobus service standing out as symbols of people-friendly governance benefiting citizens from all walks of life.
CM vows full protection of press freedom, calls journalists ‘voice of truth’
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said that oppression and violence against journalists who speak the truth must end, emphasizing that freedom of the press, exercised with responsibility, forms the foundation of democracy and is vital for a strong and just society.
In her message on the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists (IDEI), the Chief Minister said journalists serve as protectors of social justice and the voice of the people, adding that those who expose oppression, injustice, and falsehoods are the “real heroes of society.”
Maryam Nawaz reaffirmed her government’s unwavering commitment to safeguard press freedom, saying that as Chief Minister, she guarantees full protection of journalists’ rights. She noted that the provincial government is taking practical measures to ensure the welfare and security of media professionals, including efforts to fulfil the dream of providing homes to homeless journalists.
She said the purpose of observing this day was to honour journalists who suffered or sacrificed their lives for truth and justice, and to raise awareness against impunity for crimes committed against them.
The Chief Minister added that journalists and journalism are safe in Punjab, where—by the grace of Allah Almighty—no incidents of killing or torture of journalists have been reported.
