LAHORE: The Punjab government is implementing a range of initiatives, including scholarships, laptops, scooties and free travel on electric buses, to promote girls’ education, mobility and empowerment, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said on Sunday.

In her message on the International Day of the Girl Child, she said providing girls with equal opportunities in education, healthcare, protection and development was a collective responsibility.

Describing daughters as a blessing from Allah and a valuable asset to society, she said empowering girls was essential to building a strong, prosperous and progressive society.

The chief minister said the provincial government had given laptops to facilitate girls’ access to education and was providing scholarships to help remove financial barriers to their studies. A scooty scheme had also been launched to facilitate female students’ travel to schools and colleges. She said the government had introduced a Pink Button initiative to help provide girls with a safer environment and established a Women Virtual Police Station to protect women and ensure immediate police assistance. Female students were also being provided with free travel on electric buses, she added.

Ms Maryam said protecting girls’ rights, promoting their education and taking measures to make them independent were essential. Every girl deserved a safe and supportive environment in which she could pursue her aspirations and contribute to the country’s development, she added.

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2026