For decades, mosque imams have quietly carried the weight of their communities-leading prayers, counselling families, guiding moral choices, and shaping social norms-while often struggling to make ends meet. Many survived on small, irregular donations, which are mostly far below what is needed to meet basic household expenses. Their societal influence contrasted sharply with their economic […]
Reimagining Public Education Through Schools of Eminence
Public education in Pakistan has made important strides over the years, particularly in expanding access and enrollment. As the education landscape continues to evolve, attention is increasingly turning toward strengthening quality, learning environments, and public confidence. In Punjab, a series of initiatives reflect this constructive shift. Among them, the Punjab Education Foundation’s (PEF) Schools of […]
Punjab’s food governance reset
As Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif completes her second year in office, her government’s reform agenda has taken clearer shape through a focus on institutional consolidation, improved service delivery, and citizen-centric governance. Among the most significant of these initiatives is the restructuring of the province’s food governance framework, a sector that directly affects household […]
A Century-Ready Reset for Punjab’s Cities
Punjab’s long-awaited reset of urban governance has formally begun with the launch of the Chief Minister Punjab Development Programme from Burewala tehsil in Vehari district. The Rs . 300 billion initiative aims to upgrade municipal services across 52 districts of the province, directly benefiting seven million people. More than a routine development announcement, the programme […]
Christmas in Punjab: inclusion as statecraft
Christmas 2025 in Punjab stands out as a significant moment in Pakistan’s civic and political life. This year, the festival has moved beyond the confines of a religious occasion to assume the character of deliberate state policy. Through twelve days of official, province-wide celebrations, the Punjab government has sent an unambiguous message: the recognition and […]
2025: A year of reframed governance in Punjab
Punjab’s journey through 2025 has unfolded as a year in which governance was not merely asserted but demonstrated. Under Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the administration steadily moved away from ceremonialism toward a results-oriented approach that placed citizens’ everyday needs at the centre of policy. The tone of governance was purposeful, defined by urgency […]
Punjab’s Vibrant Digital Rise
Punjab’s transformation over the past year is no longer quiet; it is vibrant, deliberate, and increasingly visible in the daily lives of its citizens. Under Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the province is embracing a wave of technology-driven reforms that are reshaping governance, empowering youth and women, and connecting local talent to the global […]
Should AI Have Legal Rights?
The debate around artificial intelligence (AI) has moved far beyond discussions of efficiency or technological progress. We are now confronting questions that, until recently, belonged firmly in the realm of science fiction: can a machine deserve legal rights? If an AI system makes decisions independently, should it still be treated merely as property? And how […]
Punjab at COP-30
Punjab’s presence at COP-30 in Belém marked an important moment in the evolution of subnational climate diplomacy. Under Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the province did not arrive as a passive observer but as a government attempting to reposition itself, from a climate-impacted region seeking sympathy to a climate-conscious actor offering solutions. This shift […]
The post-truth plunge
We live in an age when facts no longer speak for themselves. In a world powered by AI-based technology, emotion and loyalty often outweigh evidence. The post-truth condition is not merely a routine phenomenon; it is a crisis of reality itself. When belief begins to outweigh proof, the very foundation of democratic discourse starts to […]