- Punjab CM announces 100,000 e-bikes, laptops and scholarships each annually for students
- Introduces ‘Parwaz Card’ to support skilled youth, overseas jobs, saying AI Center to be set up in Lahore
- Vows equal development for big cities, smaller districts, raising education funds for universities by 500%
LAHORE/LODHRAN: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Thursday unveiled an ambitious youth-focused roadmap by declaring 2026 as the “Year of Youth” and announcing a series of major initiatives, including the annual distribution of 100,000 electric bikes, 100,000 laptops and 100,000 scholarships from next year, along with the launch of the “Parwaz Card” to facilitate skilled youth in their professional growth and overseas employment, and the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Center in Lahore.
The chief minister made these announcements while addressing a ceremony of the Honhar Scholarship and Laptop Scheme in Lodhran, where she outlined wide-ranging development, education, employment and welfare measures aimed at empowering students and young people across Punjab.
کبھی اس بات پر توجہ نہ دیں کہ کسی نے کیا کہا ہے، توجہ اس بات پر دیں کہ کسی نے آپ کیلئے کیا کام کیا ہے۔ جب کام ہوگا تو وہ خود بولے گا اور اپنا دفاع کرتا ہے۔ جب کام ہوتا ہے تو فوربز میگزین بھی کہتا ہے کہ ستھرا پنجاب پاکستان کا سب سے بڑا ویسٹ منیجمنٹ پروگرام ہے، بی بی سی بھی کہتا ہے… pic.twitter.com/fGiJdXo1ET
— Raza Butt (@SocialDigitally) December 18, 2025
Addressing the students, CM Maryam Nawaz said, “My dear children are my superheroes. I salute my sons and daughters.” She congratulated Provincial Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat on the successful launch of the laptop and Honhar scholarship schemes and praised the students who received laptops and scholarships, saying their success was the result of hard work and determination. She added that the achievements of students fulfilled not only their own dreams but also those of their parents and the government.
اس سال آپ کو لیپ ٹاپ مل رہے ہیں، سکالرشپ مل رہے ہیں؛ اگلے سال الیکٹرک موٹربائکس ملیں گی اور وہ بھی فری آف کاسٹ۔
مریم نواز#CMMaryamLaptopProgram pic.twitter.com/DDPzaPtYZ1— ندیّا اطہر (@naddiyyaathar) December 18, 2025
She said that holding the laptop distribution ceremony in Lodhran rather than a major city demonstrated her vision of equal development across Punjab and an end to discrimination between large cities and smaller districts. She emphasized that all regions of the province, including Rawalpindi, Lahore, Multan, Layyah, Bhakkar and Sahiwal, were equally important and assured that development would reach every corner of Punjab.
Addressing students directly, the chief minister pledged that their dreams would be turned into reality. She said that had the scholarship and laptop schemes been launched five years earlier, many more students could have benefited. She announced that 2026 would bring major relief and incentive packages for students throughout the province.
Highlighting governance and service delivery, CM Maryam Nawaz said her government believed not merely in announcements but in launching and completing projects. She cited the ‘Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar’ scheme, under which 125,000 houses are being constructed, with 50,000 already completed and more than 70,000 under construction. She further announced that three-marla plots would be provided under the ‘Apni Zameen, Apna Ghar’ scheme to people without land ownership.
She said sanitation workers under the ‘Suthra Punjab’ initiative were cleaning the entire province without discrimination between cities and villages. On law and order, she stated that the situation across Punjab was under control and that even political opponents acknowledged the performance of the provincial government and the Crime Control Department (CCD).
Emphasizing the dignity and protection of women, the chief minister said families must feel secure when their daughters leave home for education, markets or employment. She said immediate action was taken wherever harassment incidents were reported, adding that while male chief ministers had failed to improve law and order, a woman chief minister had made it possible. She urged parents to fully support their daughters in pursuing education and careers.
She announced that metro bus projects would be launched in Gujranwala and Faisalabad, while electric buses were already operating across Punjab. She said CCTV monitoring was being expanded to enhance public safety, particularly for women. She also disclosed that more than 800,000 farmers had been issued Kissan Cards, under which interest-free loans of Rs150,000 were being provided to meet crop expenses.
Referring to smog, she said that during the previous government schools and markets had to be closed, but such closures would no longer be required. She announced the establishment of the first government cancer hospital and heart hospitals across Punjab and said that healthcare services were being brought to people’s doorsteps through ‘Clinic on Wheels’ and field hospitals, with free medicines available in government hospitals.
The chief minister said action against land-grabbing mafias was taken immediately following mosque announcements and claimed that Punjab had now been cleared of all mafias, including drug mafias. She said drugs were once sold openly but this had now been eliminated. She further announced that more than 30,000 kilometres of roads would be completed within two years.
She added that 2.2 million driving licences had been issued in recent days to curb accidents caused by underage driving, while encroachments and illegal market extensions were being removed across the province. She said VIP culture and favouritism had been completely eliminated. She highlighted that more than 80,000 children had received scholarships purely on merit, stressing that no student had received a scholarship or laptop through recommendation.
CM Maryam Nawaz said scholarships were being awarded without favouritism and that if any child was unable to pursue education due to lack of resources, it would be a failure of the government. She announced the establishment of IT cities across Punjab, where students would receive training and later support to launch startups. She said five lakh children would receive skills training next year, while skilled youth would be facilitated for employment opportunities and work abroad through the Parwaz Card.
She added that Punjab Police was being reformed and strengthened, stating that Punjab had sufficient financial resources and was utilizing funds received through the NFC Award for public welfare. She noted that Punjab also provided employment and healthcare facilities to people from other provinces and criticized past governance for neglecting hospitals and roads.
She warned that narratives promoting chaos, violence and attacks on police and Rangers would not succeed, stressing that Pakistan now needed performance rather than slogans. She concluded by urging students to protect the country and never become part of any conspiracy against it.
During the ceremony, the chief minister joined students in singing the national anthem, embraced students who became emotional during speeches, and personally distributed laptops, taking selfies and referring to students as “superheroes” and “super guests.” Provincial Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat said 70 percent of laptop and Honhar scholarship beneficiaries were female students and that university funding in Punjab had been increased by 500 percent.
CM’s message on International Migrants Day
Meanwhile, in her message on International Migrants Day, CM Maryam Nawaz said migration was a blessing and a Sunnah of the Prophet (SAWW), adding that it was a reality shaped by global social, economic and cultural changes. She said migration opened new opportunities and served as a global exchange of skills, innovation and experience.
She said overseas Pakistanis were the country’s economic and social ambassadors, strengthening the economy through billions of dollars in remittances. She stressed the importance of protecting migrants’ rights and warned that illegal migration endangered lives and violated international laws, adding that the Punjab government was working to improve transparency and service delivery for overseas Pakistanis.
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