Speaking to participants of the National Workshop Balochistan during a meeting in the provincial capital, she said she was pleased to meet the Baloch students and described them as valued guests.
‘When I learned that you wanted to meet, I asked for the meeting right away,’ she said, adding that young people from all provinces are a shared national responsibility.
Maryam Nawaz rejected the idea that Punjab receives extra funds unfairly. She clarified that federal funds are distributed according to population, and Punjab, being the most populous province, receives its share on that basis. ‘This is not privilege, it is a formula,’ she noted.
Highlighting governance as the true measure of politics, the chief minister said good governance matters more than slogans. She emphasized that she has never supported discrimination against students from other provinces.
‘We must not draw lines between Punjabis, Sindhis, and Baloch. These lines make the country fragile,’ she said, pointing out that students from across Pakistan study in Punjab’s educational institutions.
She also claimed that the culture of favoritism has been dismantled in Punjab, with appointments now being made on merit. ‘For the last five years, bad practices took root, but we are correcting them,’ she said, adding that public funds are now being spent directly on public welfare.
On law and order, Maryam Nawaz said that some areas of the province go for days without reports of crime. She credited the Crime Control Department (CCD) for a clear drop in harassment cases, calling its performance unmatched. Ensuring a safe environment for women, she added, remains a top priority.
Referring to the ‘Apna Ghar’ housing scheme, she said around 500 houses are being built daily, with 65,000 homes already completed. ‘Our doors are open to people from other provinces,’ she said, ending her address by reminding the participants that the future of the country rests in the hands of its youth.
