Maryam Nawaz, who made history on Monday after being elected the first female chief minister (CM) of Pakistan from Punjab, unveiled her vision for the next five years, with vowing to chalk out plan for consumers using less than 300 units of electricity, ARY News reported.
The PML-N vice president, who made her parliamentary debut this year after winning the Feb 8 general elections from PP-159, achieved a landslide victory against the opposition’s Rana Aftab Ahmad, obtaining all of the 220 votes in Punjab Assembly.
Her opponent, Sunni Council Ittehad’s (SIC) candidate Rana Aftab Ahmad, did not get any votes as the party boycotted the elections after they were stopped from speaking.
In an hour-and-a-half-long victory speech, Maryam Nawaz hoped to rise above the political polarisation to serve Punjab, assuring that she will resolve the issues of her opponents’ constituencies regardless of their party affiliation.
She pointed out that her party had developed an “extensive and comprehensive” agenda for the province, which would be implemented from today.
Maryam’s vision
Maryam Nawaz stated that the PML-N’s key objectives during her tenure would be the provision of employment, education and healthcare.
Read More: Maryam Nawaz elected Punjab’s first female CM amid SIC boycott
“I am working on a plan to provide solar panels in instalments to the consumers using up to 300 or below units of electricity,” she noted.
‘Economic hub’
The newly-elected Punjab chief minister said that the reforms are required in the economy’s backbone with facilitation of businessmen and small medium enterprises.
“I desire to make Punjab an economic hub by empowering businessmen and we will provide one-window solution for establishing and running businesses,” she vowed.
She said the government’s job was to create policies, incentivise businessmen, and to remove bureaucratic hurdles. “The businesses being run by the provincial government should be converted into a public-private partnership,” she noted.
“We will facilitate the business community so that they can attract investment in the province,” she added.
‘Corruption’
Maryam Nawaz also pointed out that she has zero tolerance against corruption.
“We will bring transparent mechanism to eliminate bribery; integrated model of governance and will solve people’s problems through helpline,” she vowed.
Ramadan package
Maryam also announced a Ramazan relief package, Nigheban, for Punjab. According to her, it included essentials worth Rs6.5 to Rs7 million which would be distributed to the public during Ramazan.
“The package will be delivered to their doorstep,” she said. Maryam added that marketplaces providing essential items at subsidised rates would also be set up.
“A body will regulate prices in the market so that no commodity is sold more than the fixed rates,” she added.
The Punjab chief minister noted that BISP data does not cover all the needy as people with income less than Rs60,000 are deserving and it was the govt’s duty to help them all.
Education
Maryam also vowed to improve the school curriculum in the province, saying that it will be revised to upgrade it to modern education. She also said schools of the province would be improved through public-private partnerships.
“If any child wants to study on merit and they do not have the means, the Punjab government will provide funds for them,” she said, vowing to revive the youth loan programme, which also included schemes for providing interest-free loans, skills training and devices such as laptops and tablets.
The chief minister added that there were several government internship programmes currently underway but they were not paid. “I have instructed institutions to increase the internship programmes and to make them paid so that the intern is paid a minimum of Rs25,000,” she added.
She also announced to introduce a school transport system in Punjab, saying that she would also focus on developing the curriculums of government schools.
Talking about differently-abled children, she said that state-of-the-art education centres would be established in each district.
Health sector
Maryam Nawaz also vowed to build a major hospital in each district of Punjab which according to her would consists units for cancer and kidney treatment as well. She also announced to provide free medicines in public hospitals.
“Within 12 first weeks, we will launch Punjab’s first air ambulance service,” she promised, adding that she has directed 1122 to establish an organised fleet of ambulance for the motorways.
“Free medicines will be provided at every government hospital across the province from today onwards,” she said. She also vowed to re-introduce Nawaz Sharif’s health card in an effective manner across the province.
Exclusive helpline for women
The Punjab CM also highlighted the issue of harassment, saying that she wants to launch an exclusive helpline for women. “The women who go out of her house for any necessity should be protected,” she said.
She further talked about equality, saying that women should be given loans equal to men. She added that her government would try to establish a daycare centre at every workplace.
“Harassing any woman is Maryam Nawaz’s red line,” she said, lauding the Gulber Circle ASP Shehr Bano for protecting the life of a girl wearing a dress with Arabic calligraphy from an attack by a charged mob.
‘Digitalised Punjab’
Maryam further said that the province should be digitalised and paper-free so that people don’t have to stand in queues.
“I will establish at least five IT cities in my tenure,” she vowed, saying that the PML-N will try to bring tech giants into Punjab.
“We are going to launch a pilot project of free wifi across Lahore,” she said. She asserted that she would also revive e-libraries in the province.
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