Maryam Nawaz Launches Key Economic Initiatives for Punjabs Growth

Punjab's Chief Minister, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, has announced the allocation of land in industrial zones for beneficiaries of the Asaan Karobar loan program, directing authorities to speed up its execution and broaden the number of recipients. In her address at a ceremony for cheque and card distribution under the scheme, she urged the Bank of Punjab to maximize loan disbursement and emphasized the need for policies that enable businesses to get up and running immediately.

She assured that necessary no-objection certificates (NOCs) and licenses would continue to be provided to assist entrepreneurs, encouraging recipients to take loans and start their businesses. Additionally, she revealed that a free plot scheme will be launched during Ramadan, with 3.3 million families receiving Rs10,000 each at their doorsteps. A laptop scheme for students is also set to be introduced after Ramadan.

Maryam Nawaz expressed confidence in the country’s improving economy, stressing that interest-free loans were vital for stabilizing the private sector. She acknowledged the challenging economic conditions of the past seven years but highlighted that the situation was now recovering. She reiterated that economic progress and improved living standards remained key priorities for the government.

The Chief Minister also praised the governance approach of the PML-N, stating that Nawaz Sharif had always delivered on his promises and that economic development remained central to the party’s agenda. She pointed out that many people from other provinces and the media had been impressed by the swift implementation of projects in Punjab. Under the Asaan Karobar initiative, loans ranging from Rs1 million are being provided with no interest, and the loan application process has been simplified to eliminate complex requirements.

She noted that inflation had dropped from 38% to under 4% since the PML-N assumed power and highlighted that flour prices in Punjab were the lowest in the country. She stated that she personally monitors the prices of essential items daily. With 185,000 applications received for the scheme, including 71,000 each for Rs5 million and Rs30 million loans, Maryam Nawaz pledged to closely supervise loan disbursements.

The Chief Minister underscored the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for the country’s economic growth, explaining that not everyone can launch large-scale businesses. She expressed her belief that recipients of these loans would soon expand their ventures, creating job opportunities for others. She also took aim at political opponents, accusing them of failing to rally public support for protests and claiming that only government employees from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa participated.

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met with Punjab Assembly members from various districts, including Sahiwal, Khanewal, Multan, Lodhran, Vehari, and Bahawalnagar. He criticized political instability for hampering Pakistan’s development and blamed previous governments for introducing animosity and revenge into politics. He praised Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s role in rescuing the economy from the brink of default and credited him for restoring economic stability.

Nawaz Sharif added that corruption, inflation, and mismanagement were the result of past political decisions, and reiterated that the PML-N’s primary focus remains on economic growth and public welfare. He emphasized that stabilizing the economy and controlling inflation would remain the government’s priorities through policy continuity.