Policy Continuity Essential for Pakistan’s Development, Says Maryam Nawaz

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has said that continuity in government policies is essential for Pakistan’s development, arguing that frequent changes in policies have contributed to the country’s lack of progress.

Addressing participants of a leadership course, Maryam Nawaz said one government formulates a policy, but after three years, when its term ends, the succeeding government comes with a new agenda. “Countries cannot develop this way,” she said.

She added that whatever was discussed during the session would be from the perspective of being Pakistani.

Referring to the security situation in Punjab and other provinces, the chief minister said terrorism was not as visible in Punjab and that this was not merely a coincidence. She said the police, law-enforcement agencies and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) had been strengthened to control terrorism in the province.

Maryam Nawaz also spoke about media coverage of government initiatives. She said that when the government discusses providing healthcare to 100 million people, constructing 200,000 homes or building 45,000 kilometres of roads, the discussion sometimes shifts toward the issue of the “plane.”

She said she had also told the information minister not to assume that people would forget the plane issue, adding that people would never forget it.

The Punjab chief minister said that despite various initiatives being undertaken by the government, media attention sometimes shifts toward other issues.