Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Punjab’s first female Chief Minister, governs with a striking blend of Caring and Competence-two pillars that define her leadership. She doesn’t just talk about progress; she delivers it. Her administration tackles Punjab’s challenges head-on, rolling out welfare and development projects that touch millions of lives. From housing to healthcare, education to economic empowerment, her initiatives reflect a deep commitment to the people and a sharp ability to get things done. Let’s dive into how the “2Cs” shape her transformative model of governance.
Maryam Nawaz puts people first. Her welfare programs prove it. Take the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar scheme. Launched in August 2024, this housing initiative offers interest-free loans of Rs1.5 million to landowners in urban and rural areas. Borrowers pay just Rs14,000 monthly over seven years-no payment required for the first three months. By January 2025, she approved Rs62 billion to extend loans to 40,000 individuals, with over 4,200 houses nearing completion. She even pushed to raise the loan ceiling to Rs2 million. This isn’t just policy-it’s a lifeline for families dreaming of a roof over their heads.
Her care extends to the vulnerable. In January 2025, she launched the Zahra Homes/Maskan Ravi project, handing over keys to 100 families. She also announced free three-marla plots for the needy, ensuring the underprivileged aren’t left behind. For Ramadan 2025, she pledged Rs10,000 to 3.3 million families, delivered straight to their doorsteps. The Himmat Card supports disabled individuals with financial aid and vocational training, while free medicine delivery and the Maryam Ki Dastak App bring healthcare to people’s homes. These moves scream compassion-Maryam Nawaz listens, then acts.
Caring alone doesn’t cut it-competence seals the deal. Maryam Nawaz executes with precision. Look at her Green Tractor Scheme. Approved in September 2024, it provides 9,500 tractors with a Rs1 million subsidy each to farmers owning up to 50 acres. She aims to scale it to 30,000 tractors, boosting agriculture in a province that feeds Pakistan. Her Kisan Card Program rents out machinery to small farmers, leveling the playing field. She tackles climate change too, ordering emergency measures in January 2025 to boost cotton and sugarcane production. Competence shines through in her deadlines-road repairs must finish by June 2025, and health center upgrades hit 75% completion by early this year.
Caring alone doesn’t cut it-competence seals the deal.
Her Asaan Karobar Scheme empowers entrepreneurs. Launched in January 2025, it allocates free plots in industrial zones and offers interest-free loans from Rs1 million to Rs30 million. Over 185,000 applications poured in, with 71,000 each for the Rs5 million and Rs30 million categories. She simplified the process-no complex conditions, just results. The Punjab Easy Business Card Scheme adds Rs48 billion in interest-free loans for startups, repayable over three years. She monitors disbursements herself, ensuring no delays. Inflation dropped from 38% to below 4% under her watch, and flour prices in Punjab hit a national low. That’s competence in action.
Maryam Nawaz doesn’t stop at economics-she redefines healthcare and education. Her Children’s Heart Surgery Programme targets 12,000 pending operations, inviting global surgeons to Punjab. The Dialysis Program Card, rolled out in 2025, offers free care to kidney patients. She’s upgrading 1,236 basic health units-54 are done, 1,164 nearly there. New Maryam Nawaz Health Clinics bring top-tier medical services to rural areas.
Under the supervision of Rana Sikandar Hayat, the magnificent Honhaar Scholarship that funds 30,000+ students’ tuition for four to five years, with Phase 2 registration ending in February, 2025. The CM Punjab Laptop Program 2025 aims to distribute 110,000 laptops to students, prioritizing merit and minority inclusion. Infrastructure gets her attention too. She’s building 600 roads, five expressways, and three motorways. The Suthra Punjab program rolls out a province-wide solid waste system, cleaning both cities and villages. In Gulberg, her sustainable development pilot project cuts costs with uniform green belts and cyclist lanes. She released Rs400 million in early 2025 for ongoing projects, demanding transparency and real-time monitoring via dashboards. Deadlines matter to her-competence demands it. Nigahban Package ensures no one goes hungry. She personally tracks commodity prices daily, proving she’s not just a leader-she’s a doer. Meetings with global partners, like her remarkable official visit to China, show her competence on the world stage, securing developmental, economic and technical support for Punjab’s growth.
Maryam Nawaz’s 2Cs don’t just govern-they inspire. Her Maryam Nawaz Community Health Inspector Program hires 20,000 inspectors to bolster healthcare. The Garment City and Model Rehri Bazaar create jobs and dignity for workers. She champions special education, launching Pakistan’s first government autism school in Lahore, set to finish in a year. Ten autism units already operate, and 9,206 assistive devices-like hearing aids and wheelchairs-reach students. She upgrades 35 special education schools and plans a sports gala for them. Caring meets competence here, making the marginalized feel seen.
General Asim Munir amplifies her vision. His support anchors Punjab’s progress. The Green Pakistan Initiative, launched in Cholistan on February 15, 2025, proves it. Maryam and Munir inaugurated the Green Agri Mall, Smart Agri Farm, and Agri Research Centre. These projects irrigate barren lands and empower farmers. High-yield seeds and modern machinery now reach rural hands. Munir calls Punjab Pakistan’s agricultural “powerhouse.” He’s right. The initiative blends care for farmers with competent innovation. It’s a game-changer for food security and economic growth. Recreation binds this model of governance together. The Horse and Cattle Show 2025, themed “May Punjab Prosper Forever,” closed spectacularly on February 24. Maryam hosted it. COAS Asim Munir joined as guest of honor. Torch parades, folk songs, and fireworks lit up the sky. It wasn’t just fun-it was unity. Families cheered. Communities connected. This event, paired with sports scholarships and e-bike schemes, keeps Punjab’s youth engaged. Maryam knows a happy province is a strong one. She invests in joy, not just infrastructure. Critics might question the pace, but results silence them. Maryam Nawaz’s governance fuses heart and skill. She cares deeply-housing the homeless, feeding the hungry, healing the sick. She delivers smartly-slashing inflation, modernizing agriculture, empowering youth. Her 2Cs lift Punjab from promises to progress. She’s rewriting what leadership means. Punjab thrives because she dares to care and knows how to succeed. That’s the Maryam Nawaz model-bold, human, and unstoppable.
Afnan Wasif: The author is an MAIR Candidate at School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University and tweets @afnanwasif
Hussain Bajwa tweets @hussainbajwa40