CM Maryam calls for people-centric, sustainable urban development

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said on Monday that governments should be judged not by speeches but by the positive changes they brought to people’s lives

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th May, 2026) Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said on Monday that governments should be judged not by speeches but by the positive changes they brought to people’s lives.

Addressing the Leaders Summit of the World Urban Forum in Baku, she highlighted Punjab’s welfare, housing, infrastructure and environmental initiatives, said a handout issued here.

The CM said every project undertaken by her government, from housing to urban resilience, was driven by the courage to challenge the status quo. “No one should be left behind in the journey of development,” she added.

Maryam Nawaz said cities could become truly resilient only when development remained people-centric, environmentally sustainable and data-driven. “If something is not measured and assessed, it can never be fixed,” she remarked. She said it was an honour to participate in the global gathering and described Baku as a reflection of modern urban transformation, vision and international connectivity.

She conveyed greetings from former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the people of Pakistan, while expressing gratitude to the government of Azerbaijan for its warm hospitality and arrangements.

Referring to the longstanding ties between Pakistan and Azerbaijan, she said the historic old city of Baku reflected shared civilisational links between the two countries, while ancient trade routes such as Multan Sarai stood witness to centuries-old public connections. She praised Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for his vision for sustainable development and resilient cities, and commended his leadership in transforming Baku into a vibrant and globally connected city.

The CM said her visit to Baku was her first tour to Central Asia and described the city as a symbol of resilience and progress. She added that she did not feel like she was in a foreign country but rather “at home”.

Highlighting Punjab’s welfare initiatives, Maryam Nawaz said the Punjab government had launched the Punjab Social Economic Registry, the province’s first door-to-door data collection system aimed at ensuring inclusive development.

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She said providing shelter to the people was among her government’s foremost priorities and noted that under the flagship “Apni Chhat Apna Ghar” programme, housing support had been provided to 160,000 families in less than a year, while more than 100,000 families had completed construction of their homes and moved in.

The chief minister said the “Model Village Programme” was transforming more than 2,000 villages through clean drinking water, drainage systems, paved streets and solar infrastructure projects. She said Punjab had also launched an urbanisation development programme worth more than $2 billion across the province, covering roads, drainage systems, water storage and urban resilience infrastructure.

Maryam Nawaz said more than 30,000 kilometres of roads had been constructed and completed within two years, while organised and data-driven measures were being implemented to address urban flooding.

Speaking about tourism and heritage conservation, she said more than 100 historical sites, museums, archaeological locations and religious places were being restored and preserved under the “Magnificent Punjab” initiative. She noted that Lahore had been declared the ECO Tourism Capital for 2026-27, while the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation had also recognised Lahore as a major tourism and cultural centre.

Referring to the “Suthra Punjab” initiative, she said over 150,000 sanitation workers were serving across the province daily, making it one of the world’s largest solid waste collection programmes. She added that the initiative was now moving towards a “waste-to-value” model through recycling, composting and energy recovery systems.

She said clean air was not a privilege or luxury but a fundamental right of every citizen. Under the Punjab Clean Mobility programme, she said, the province had introduced 1,100 electric buses in the first phase and aimed to provide 5,000 electric buses, electric bikes and electric taxis by 2029. She added that 50 million trees had been planted across Punjab under the “Plant for Punjab” campaign, while one per cent of all development expenditure had now been formally allocated for climate resilience.