Maryam’s big election pitch: roads, homes, hospitals

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has claimed that the public response at the PML-N rally in Mirpur shows that her party will secure a strong victory across

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has claimed that the public response at the PML-N rally in Mirpur shows that her party will secure a strong victory across Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing a public gathering in Mirpur, Maryam Nawaz praised the enthusiasm of the participants despite the intense heat. She said the large turnout reflected growing support for the PML-N in the region.

She said that people in Muzaffarabad also attended the party’s gathering despite heavy rainfall, adding that she had not come to Mirpur as a political visitor but as someone returning to her ancestral home.

Maryam Nawaz said Mirpur has beautiful houses and significant potential, but its roads and infrastructure require major improvement. She added that the time had come to begin a new phase of development in the city.

Recalling her visit with Nawaz Sharif, she said the former prime minister repeatedly admired the beauty of the region during their journey and appreciated its natural landscape.

The Punjab chief minister said Kashmir has abundant resources and talented people, but it lacks modern infrastructure. She stressed the need for better roads, advanced hospitals and improved facilities to promote tourism and economic growth in Azad Kashmir.

She claimed that the PML-N would provide the same facilities in Azad Kashmir that it has introduced in Punjab if it wins the upcoming elections. She announced that even before the elections, she was bringing a gift of 10 electric buses for Mirpur.

Maryam Nawaz highlighted Punjab government initiatives, saying that around 200,000 people had received homes under the “Apni Chhat Apna Ghar” housing project within two years. She said Azad Kashmir could surpass Punjab in development within five years if honest and effective governance was ensured.

She also called for introducing projects such as a Safe City system and housing schemes in Azad Kashmir to improve public security and living standards.

Criticising rival political parties, Maryam Nawaz said no other party could point to major development work carried out in Kashmir. She challenged opponents to identify even a single major infrastructure project completed by them.

She urged voters to make a careful decision, warning that choosing the wrong leadership could delay development opportunities. She said people from other provinces often praise Punjab’s progress and wish for similar governance.

Maryam Nawaz said that removing Nawaz Sharif’s contributions from Pakistan’s development history would leave behind “only ruins.” She promised that if people supported the PML-N, the party would bring changes in Azad Kashmir beyond public expectations and work to transform the region’s future.