LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has insisted that no one can attack Pakistan so easily as the country is a nuclear power.

“Today, there is tension looming on the Pakistan-India border. But there’s no need to panic as Allah has blessed the Pakistan Army with the strength to defend the country. Any enemy of Pakistan will think 10 times before attacking it. Every­one knows that Pakistan is a nuclear power,” she said at a ceremony on Tuesday.

“No matter what political affiliations we have, we must stand united like a wall of steel (behind our armed forces against any outside aggression).”

She said that Pakistan’s strength came from the sacrifices of its martyrs. “Nawaz Sharif played a historic role in making Pakistan a nuclear power,” she added.

The CM said the government would distribute rat­ion cards to 1.25 million hardworking (labour) families.

“Each family will receive Rs3,000 per month. My goal is to include as many working-class families as possible in these welfare programmes. We are going to build 1,220 houses for lab­ourers. These ration cards are not for those who don’t work. They are for those who toil 12 to 14 hours a day.”

The CM said that 100,000 housing units would be completed this year. “We are also going to distribute 100,000 laptops. The Punjab government will cover the full tuition fees of 50,000 students,” she said.

She said this year a metro project would begin in Gujranwala. The first Nawaz Sharif Cancer Hospital was under construction. Nawaz Sharif Cardiology Hospital would be inaugurated in June.

“We are giving farmers Rs5,000 per acre,” she said.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2025