Punjab Minister for Information and Culture Azma Bokhari has said that Gandapur’s chief ministership has fallen prey to a domestic dispute between two women, while the new KP Chief Minister is not a “Parchi” but a “Farshi” who secured the position by constant greetings and flattery. She remarked that Usman Buzdar was appointed on the orders of ‘Begum,’ while Gandapur has been removed on the directions of ‘Baji,’ exposing the real political face of the party. She said that a fake election took place in KP today – the resignation of one Chief Minister was not even accepted, yet another was elected. She added that Sohail Afridi delivered nothing but loud boasts and made no mention of the province’s development.
Azma Bokhari clarified that South Punjab receives an equal share in every development project in Punjab, and for Maryam Nawaz, there is no Central or South Punjab – only one Punjab. She expressed these views while talking to the media outside the Punjab Assembly. She said that the Punjab government has almost completed the survey of flood-affected areas, and the process of providing financial assistance to affected families will begin very soon. She added that rehabilitation work in South Punjab is progressing rapidly, while the flagship “Suthra Punjab” program is being implemented across the province with full momentum. For children’s health, the “Meal Program” is also being effectively carried out in South Punjab.
She shared that so far, 4,014 CNICs and 78,769 animals have been registered in South Punjab under the PLC scheme, with loans worth PKR 787.698 million approved. Rahim Yar Khan leads with 4,500 registrations and PKR 121.5 million in loans. Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar registered 10,443 animals, availing PKR 281.961 million in loans. Vehari saw 313 CNICs and 29,174 animal registrations, with PKR 63.666 million in loans, while Cholistan recorded 1,295 registrations and PKR 12.852 million in loans. This process is actively ongoing in other districts as well.
She further said that under the CM Punjab Green Tractor Program (Phase-I 2024-25), 9,464 tractors have been distributed across the province, including 3,849 tractors for South Punjab farmers. In the next phase (2025-26), 9,500 high-power tractors will be distributed, of which 3,865 will go to South Punjab. Under the Kisan Card Program, 660,552 cards have been activated in Punjab, including 292,809 cards for farmers in South Punjab.
Azma Bokhari added that under the “Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar” program, loans have been provided for a total of 87,425 houses in South Punjab. Of these, 60,054 houses are under construction and 20,564 have been completed, reflecting the government’s commitment to providing housing for the people of South Punjab. She stressed that at a time when border tensions are high and infiltration attempts are being made from Afghanistan, launching political offensives on any province is highly irresponsible. She warned that Pakistan will not tolerate its territory being used for terrorism or destabilization by any external force.
In conclusion, Azma Bokhari stated that the Punjab government is fully prepared to hold local body elections. She reiterated that ensuring the safety of people’s lives and property is the government’s primary responsibility, and blocking roads or causing inconvenience to the public is unacceptable.