Maryam vows to bring Punjab at par with Japan's infrastructure level
She highlighted, 'In the past, friendly countries were getting angry with Pakistan. The overseas Pakistanis have played a major role in improving the economy. The overseas Pakistanis send their remittances earned through their hard work to their homeland and this money should be spent on the development and progress of Pakistan.'
She said that she congratulates everyone on winning the war against India adding that Punjab will now see development on the pattern of Japan. She highlighted that this journey of development would continue by the Grace of Allah Almighty.
The CM assured that the problems of overseas Pakistanis will be resolved on a priority basis and will not have to wait for the redressal of their grievances. She maintained, 'When the overseas Pakistanis send their remittances, their children should attain good education and a nice environment. The increase in remittances manifest public confidence in the government's policies. The inflation rate has come down from 38 to 3/4 percent in a few months. Witnessing the development, cleanliness and infrastructure of Japan, we would like to have such a level of development, cleanliness and infrastructure in Pakistan as well.'
She outlined, 'We are improving the infrastructure of Punjab. Load shedding and terrorism had started again due to previous incompetent rulers. Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif built excellent roads with years of hard work. Potholes were formed in the roads due to bad governance. We want to bring Punjab at par with the level of Japan's infrastructure.'
She affirmed, 'In the previous tenure, the poor did not get medicines in the hospitals, now 90% of medicines are available free of cost. In a few months, 6/7 thousand children have undergone heart surgeries. Cancer, blood diseases, bone marrow transplant and other hospitals will be built in Punjab. We are providing door-to-door treatment through Clinics-on-Wheels and Field Hospitals. PERA force has been formed to eliminate inflation and encroachment.'
The CM added, 'Punjab is being rebuilt after undergoing 'Suthra' Punjab project. In countries like Japan, people walk on the streets without any fear. Earlier, murders and other crimes used to occur in Punjab, due to dedicated efforts of CCD, 70% of crimes have gone down. In 7 months, 70,000 people have received loans to build houses, hundreds of houses are being built on a daily basis. 100,000 houses will be built by December and 500,000 houses in five years.'
She emphasized, 'Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar' program is close to Nawaz Sharif's heart. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif urges me to purify my intentions for Allah Almighty and serve humanity. The new metrobus project in Gujranwala and Faisalabad will be completed soon. The world's largest 'Suthra' Punjab project has been launched in Punjab with a population of 150 million. The employees of Suthra Punjab go to every neighbourhood to collect garbage.'
She said, 'We want to link the 'Suthra' Punjab program with the waste management system of Yokohama. People now visit and acknowledge that they have never seen Punjab so neat and clean as ever before. Under the 'Suthra' Punjab program, 150,000 people got employment, and machinery worth 25 billion was acquired. The Environment Force is working for the improvement of the environment. We want to continuously monitor the air quality index and improve its level so that people do not get sick.'
She noted, 'People come from all four provinces visit Punjab for medical treatment. The previous government did not make a single hospital or a road in the last four years of their tenure. The Punjab government is establishing South Asia's largest cancer hospital in Lahore. People get surprised overseeing ongoing swift pace of construction work in the cancer hospital'
She underscored, 'The former Prime Minister used to come to the office at 12 o'clock and used to go back home at 3 o'clock. Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif sits in his office from 7 o'clock in the morning till 12 o'clock at night. In the past, the country was handed over to the IMF. Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz are working day and night for the welfare of the people of Pakistan.'
She revealed, 'I am trying to learn new things every day to improve the condition of the people of Punjab. 20,000 kilometres of new roads in Punjab have been completed within a span of one year. Now no road will be found in a dilapidated condition in Punjab. If I see a pile of garbage anywhere, I direct the relevant department to fix the issue. The best electric tram in Asia is being run in Lahore.'
She disclosed, '1100 new buses are being brought to every city in Punjab by December and only Rs. 20 will be charged as a fare. The Punjab government has introduced one of the largest Honhaar scholarship programs in the history of Pakistan for the students in Punjab. The Punjab government will bear the education expenses of those whose parents cannot afford it.'
She highlighted, 'We will also teach our talented students Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics. About 100,000 laptops are being given to the talented students. Homeless people are becoming homeowners by paying installments instead of rent. 150,000 new businesses have been started in Punjab by giving interest-free loans.'
She outlined, 'Clean drinking water is a problem which persists across Pakistan, we will provide clean drinking water within a span of one year in Punjab. I profoundly extend my gratitude to the overseas Pakistanis community for accorded me a warm reception. President PML-N Nawaz Sharif has sent greetings to his brothers and sisters living in Japan. I feel surprised over getting a wonderful reception in the Japanese city of Yokohama.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
17 minutes ago
- Business Recorder
Pakistani rupee records 9th consecutive gain against US dollar
Rupee's Performance Against US Dollar Since 04 March 2025 The Pakistani rupee maintained its upward trend against the US dollar, appreciating 0.01% in the inter-bank market on Wednesday. At close, the rupee settled at 281.95, a gain of Re0.01. This is rupee's ninth consecutive gain agaisnt the greenback. On Tuesday, the local unit closed the session at 281.96. Internationally, the US dollar gained for a third straight session on Wednesday as traders awaited the Federal Reserve's annual Jackson Hole symposium this week for clues on the path of monetary policy. The New Zealand dollar tumbled after the Reserve Bank said its board also considered a half-point cut in deciding to reduce the cash rate by a quarter point. The kiwi slumped as much as 0.9% to $0.5841, its lowest since April 14. The US dollar index, which measures the currency against six major counterparts, added 0.1% to 98.438, its highest since August 12. In the first two days of this week, it gained about 0.4%. Friday's speech by Fed Chair Jerome Powell is the market's main focus, as traders watch for any pushback against the market pricing of a rate reduction next month. Traders now place odds of 84% on such a cut, and expect about 54 basis points of reduction by year-end. Oil prices, a key indicator of currency parity, were little changed on Wednesday, as investors await the next steps in talks to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine, leaving in place sanctions on Russian crude and the chance of further restrictions on its buyers. Brent crude futures were at $65.90 a barrel, up 11 cents, at 0405 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures for September delivery, set to expire on Wednesday, were at $62.40 a barrel, up 5 cents. The more-active October contract was at $61.90 a barrel, up 13 cents. Prices settled down more than 1% on Tuesday on optimism that a deal to end the war seemed closer, which would mean the easing of sanctions on Russia and an increase in global supply.
Business Recorder
20 minutes ago
- Business Recorder
US tariffs on Chinese graphite spark opportunity for India's Epsilon
NEW DELHI: India's Epsilon Advanced Materials is moving swiftly to close deals to supply critical components to Japanese and South Korean battery makers in the U.S., a top executive said, after Washington imposed anti-dumping duties on Chinese imports. The U.S. in July imposed a punitive 93.5% tariff on import of graphite anode materials from China, creating an opportunity for India's Epsilon to break Beijing's monopoly on supplies of the key battery component. Indeed, U.S.-based battery makers are eager to secure alternative suppliers as the higher levies disrupt supply chains and stoke uncertainty, including over future price rises. Vikram Handa, managing director of Epsilon, which makes graphite anode materials for EV batteries, expressed confidence over some new supply deals. 'Last month, they were saying let's wait and see how things go. Now we think in the next 60 to 80 days, we will close our contracts,' said Handa. Epsilon, which announced plans for a $650 million factory in North Caroline in October 2023, has been working on getting permits and environmental clearances, while waiting for firm orders before putting a shovel in the ground. 'The numbers now start making sense for customers to buy from the U.S.,' said Handa, adding that the plant, which will have capacity of 30,000 tonnes of anode materials, is expected to be up and running by mid-2027. An EV battery is made up of four components - anode, cathode, electrolyser and separator. The anode contributes to fast-charging and vehicle range. The U.S. needs 500,000 tonnes of anode materials a year for its EV and energy storage battery needs, which were met largely by China, which refines over 90% of the world's graphite into the material used in almost all EV battery anodes. Mumbai-based Epsilon also has plans to invest over $1.1 billion in a 100,000-tonne anode materials facility in India's Karnataka state, but has yet to see serious interest in India. Handa said low Chinese prices were a draw for Indian companies, but he was trying to persuade them to buy at least 20% from Epsilon, so that 'if China closes the tap,' they had an alternative supplier. 'If it is zero (demand for Epsilon's anodes) right now, how will I put up a plant?' he asked. 'I hope this rare earth story doesn't play out the same way for battery materials,' given Indian companies dependence on them, he said.
Business Recorder
an hour ago
- Business Recorder
PSX scales new all-time high as positive momentum continues
There was no stopping the bullish momentum at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), buoyed by earnings optimism, rupee stability, and strong institutional activity from local and foreign investors. The benchmark KSE-100 Index closed at a new all-time high on Wednesday. Positive sentiments prevailed throughout the trading session, pushing the benchmark index to an intra-day high of 151,261.67. At close, the benchmark KSE-100 Index settled at 150,591, an increase of 820.26 points or 0.55%. In a key development for Pakistan's corporate sector, Moody's Ratings upgraded the local and foreign-currency long-term deposit ratings of five Pakistani banks: Allied Bank Limited (ABL), Habib Bank Ltd (HBL), MCB Bank Limited (MCB), National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) and United Bank Ltd (UBL) to Caa1 from Caa2. Rating actions followed Moody's decision to upgrade the government of Pakistan's local and foreign currency issuer and senior unsecured debt ratings to Caa1 from Caa2, to reflect Pakistan's improving external position, supported by its progress in reform implementation under the IMF Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme. On Tuesday, the PSX extended its record-setting rally as the benchmark KSE-100 Index closed at an all-time high of 149,770.75 points, up 1,574 points or 1.06%. Internationally, global share markets came under pressure on Wednesday after a tech-led selloff on Wall Street, while the dollar gained some ground ahead of a key meeting of central bankers later in the week. Stock futures pointed to a lower opening in Europe and most Asian bourses were in the red, with tech-heavy indexes in Taiwan and South Korea among the biggest losers, in part due to worries about the Trump administration's growing influence on companies in the sector. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan slid more than 1%, while EUROSTOXX 50 futures lost 0.64% and DAX futures shed 0.63%. S&P 500 futures dipped 0.27% and Nasdaq futures lost 0.44%, extending a fall from the cash session overnight. Japan's Nikkei lost 1.7% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Tech Index shed 1.3%.
