Shutting Down Factories in Punjab Affects Thousands of Workers, Says Maryam Nawaz

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has said that environmental protection is essential, but shutting down factories and industrial units in its name is not the right approach, as such measures affect industrial production and the livelihoods of thousands of workers.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the Punjab Innovation for Value Proposition and Transformation initiative, she directed relevant departments to monitor industrial units, issue warnings and ensure compliance with environmental laws instead of shutting down factories.

Maryam Nawaz questioned how workers could reach their workplaces in a country where protests take place daily, public transport infrastructure is set on fire and roads are blocked by demonstrators carrying sticks.

She said former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif deserved credit for introducing the Orange Line Metro Train and Green Bus Service, which enable workers to commute to their workplaces by spending only Rs20, Rs30 or Rs40.

Referring to the industrial cluster on Ferozepur Road, she said industries there were repeatedly being asked to relocate, despite the importance of protecting industrial activities and workers’ employment. She instructed authorities to continue environmental monitoring while adopting practical measures rather than closing factories.

No New Taxes on New Businesses

Addressing investors, the chief minister said, “If you are bringing a business, I will not ask where you are bringing the money from. This is Nawaz Sharif’s Punjab, and this is his policy.”

She said no new taxes had been imposed on new businesses during the past two years to encourage investment and promote economic activity.

Four Hundred Thousand Youth Trained in One Year

Maryam Nawaz said Punjab was promoting skills development through an integrated system for the first time, bringing different government departments under one framework and investing billions of rupees in vocational training.

She said 400,000 young people had received skills training in just 12 months, while the government had set a target of training another 600,000 people next year.

According to the chief minister, training programmes were being designed according to the requirements of the textile, garments and other industrial sectors to improve employment opportunities for young people.

She added that an internationally recognised certification system was also being introduced for Pakistanis seeking employment abroad.

The government had also launched the Parwaz Card to assist young people who could not afford visa and travel expenses. Hundreds of young people were benefiting from the initiative to secure overseas employment, she said.

No Concessions for Land Grabbers

Speaking about action against land-grabbing mafias, Maryam Nawaz said nobody would be allowed to illegally occupy another person’s land, house, factory or plot by using political influence.

She said illegal occupations were being removed even from properties involved in disputes dating back 25 years, adding that no influential individual was being given preferential treatment.

The chief minister also directed provincial ministers to avoid inconveniencing the public by closing roads in the name of official protocol or unnecessarily using blue emergency lights.

She said ministers should maintain necessary security arrangements but keep their protocol discreet so that government officials remained accessible to ordinary citizens.

Equal Action Against Encroachments

Discussing anti-encroachment operations, Maryam Nawaz said markets and public passageways must remain clear and accessible.

She said designated spaces should be provided for street vendors, while roads and passageways must remain available for public movement. She stressed that enforcement must be impartial, without discrimination on the basis of political affiliation, family background or social status.

Food Safety Is Government’s Responsibility

Referring to the Food Department’s enforcement activities, the chief minister said Punjab’s 120 to 130 million people were like family to her, and protecting their health and safety was the government’s responsibility.

She urged restaurant owners and businesses associated with the food industry to ensure the provision of clean, hygienic and safe food voluntarily rather than waiting for official raids.

Maryam Nawaz said protecting citizens from unsafe food and environmental hazards, including the quality of the air they breathe, was among the government’s fundamental responsibilities.