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Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz took aim at the PTI-led Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government on Monday, accusing them of leaving the province in a state of technological backwardness while Punjab embraced cutting-edge development initiatives. During an address at a laptop distribution ceremony held at a university in Gujrat, Maryam contrasted what she saw as K-P’s stagnation with Punjab’s rapid progress.
She highlighted several areas where Punjab had made significant strides: Honhaar scholarships, laptop schemes, the Parwaz Card for subsidized buses, and various technical training programs were now available to students. “There is Honhaar here,” Maryam said, pointing out that such initiatives were not just theoretical concepts but tangible benefits for the people of Punjab.
However, she stressed that these accomplishments in K-P remained unattainable. “Incitement exists here, yet this is nothing to celebrate,” she lamented. She expressed deep concern over the fact that residents of K-P still lived as if they were in a Stone Age era.
Maryam argued against the PTI government’s claim of developing the region. “They lack vision for what genuine progress looks like. They cannot appreciate the importance of scholarships without resources, or the necessity of having devices such as laptops or iPads to compete globally,” she emphasized.
“Providing ‘awareness’ does not equate to actual development. If people in K-P do not know about Honhaar scholarships and other initiatives, then they certainly do not understand that being connected is key for economic and social advancement.”
Maryam’s remarks were laced with irony as she referenced Imran Khan’s tenure from the 1990s. In footage shown during her speech, the PTI founder was heard threatening to remove essential amenities from PML-N leaders’ prison cells if they did not cooperate.
Maryam rebutted this by stating: “By swearing on God’s name, I can say that until today, Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif never considered shutting down AC units or cutting off food supplies. We thought of improving facilities to make our people better rather than tearing them down.”
As she concluded her remarks at the laptop distribution event, Maryam emphasized that while K-P’s challenges were significant, the impact on Punjab’s economy was negligible. She believed that any interference with major roads in K-P only served to impede local economic activities and not affect Punjab’s broader prosperity.