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Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has said drainage projects carried out across the province have helped reduce the impact of monsoon rains. She said areas that previously remained submerged for days, weeks or even months were now seeing rainwater cleared within hours. The chief minister made the remarks during a meeting with Punjab Assembly members from Vehari. The meeting reviewed development schemes, political matters and initiatives aimed at improving public services in the district. Maryam said the Punjab Development Programme was promoting more balanced development across the province. She added that the government was focusing on projects designed to address long-standing problems faced by residents. According to the chief minister, improved drainage infrastructure had made a noticeable difference during the current monsoon season. She said the government was working to ensure that heavy rainfall did not cause prolonged water accumulation in populated areas. Maryam also highlighted several initiatives for farmers and students in southern Punjab. She said farmers were benefiting from the Kisan Card programme, while students were receiving laptops and Honhaar Scholarships. The Vehari lawmakers appreciated the government’s development work in the district. They particularly highlighted the reconstruction and expansion of the Vehari-Multan Road. The lawmakers said the previously narrow and deteriorated road had been transformed into a modern dual-carriageway. They described the project as an important development for the region. They said residents of several districts would benefit from improved connectivity between Vehari and Multan. The upgraded road is expected to facilitate travel, transportation and commercial activity in the area. The lawmakers also welcomed the launch of an electric bus service connecting Vehari with Burewala and Tibba Sultanpur. They said the service had provided residents with a new public transport option. Free travel facilities for students, women and senior citizens were also appreciated during the meeting. The MPAs further said development schemes worth around Rs21 billion had been initiated in Burewala, Mailsi and Vehari. They described the projects as a major step towards improving infrastructure and public facilities in the region. They also pointed to the beautification of Vehari Rail Bazaar, saying the project had helped improve the appearance and overall environment of the city. Separately, Maryam Nawaz praised security forces for their recent operation against militants in Balochistan. She commended the personnel for their efforts and sacrifices in the fight against terrorism. According to the information shared by the chief minister, 15 terrorists were killed during the operation and a significant quantity of weapons was recovered.

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari has rejected allegations of electoral rigging raised by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) following the first phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir elections. Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, Bukhari said the people of Kashmir had made their decision through their votes. She claimed that voters had preferred the performance of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. Bukhari said the election results reflected the choice of the people. She dismissed the PPP’s allegations and defended the performance of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). The provincial minister also criticised PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. She said political pressure appeared to be increasing within a particular party. She further claimed that Bilawal had attempted to imitate another political leader during his election speech. Bukhari also criticised the PPP’s performance in Sindh. She said the party often used the name of Raiwind to target the PML-N and its leadership. She challenged the PPP to present its performance record from the past 18 years. She also questioned the condition of Karachi, Sindh’s largest city. Bukhari said voters should compare the performance of Punjab under Maryam Nawaz with the situation in Sindh under the PPP. “Look at Maryam’s Punjab and Bilawal’s Sindh,” she said while comparing the two provinces. The minister argued that a government unable to improve roads in its own areas could not claim that it would transform roads in Kashmir. She also highlighted differences in public services between Punjab and Sindh. Bukhari said Punjab had introduced air ambulance services to provide emergency medical assistance. She claimed that Sindh, by comparison, had introduced a bicycle ambulance service. She used the comparison to criticise the PPP’s governance record and defend the PML-N’s performance in Punjab. Bukhari also discussed the education initiatives introduced by the Punjab government. She said Maryam Nawaz believed that every child should have access to educational opportunities. According to Bukhari, students should be able to receive laptops and scholarships regardless of their background. She said such programmes were aimed at supporting young people and helping them continue their education. The minister contrasted these initiatives with the situation in Sindh. She claimed that students in the province were protesting to demand better educational facilities and opportunities. Bukhari’s remarks came after the PPP questioned the credibility of the first phase of the AJK elections and alleged irregularities. The first phase covered 13 constituencies in the Mirpur division. The PML-N emerged as the leading party, winning nine seats. The PPP secured four seats. The election results have triggered a political dispute between the two parties. The PML-N has defended its victory and rejected claims that the results were manipulated. Bukhari’s latest comments further intensified the political exchange. She presented the results as an endorsement of the PML-N’s performance and Maryam Nawaz’s governance model. The remaining phases of the AJK elections are expected to keep the political competition intense. Both parties are likely to continue highlighting their respective performance records as campaigning moves forward.

Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas has said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) could return to parliamentary standing committees if a meeting is arranged with the party’s founder, Imran Khan. Speaking to journalists in Islamabad, Raja Nasir Abbas said that if the government wanted Parliament to continue functioning, it should facilitate a meeting between PTI leaders and Imran Khan. He alleged that deliberate ambiguity was being created about Imran Khan’s health, saying the situation was also aimed at creating divisions within the party. Raja Nasir Abbas recalled that before the passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, a meeting with Imran Khan had taken place on the orders of the court. He said his party wanted a government that genuinely represented the people. Commenting on Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s remarks about a possible collapse of the system, he said he agreed with the assessment. He added that the problem identified by Naqvi was real, but the proposed “medicine” to address it was illegal. The Senate opposition leader also claimed that he knew why negotiations between the government and PTI had failed. He said a complete plan for negotiations had been taken to Imran Khan at Adiala Jail, adding that the opposition had held a meeting at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House before approaching the PTI founder. “We took several proposals to the founder,” he said, explaining that they did not want to visit the Prime Minister’s House and provide legal legitimacy to the government’s position. He said the same principle was behind their decision not to hold negotiations in the Speaker’s Office, as they did not recognise the arrangements as legally legitimate. Raja Nasir Abbas stressed that he distinguished between Imran Khan and the PTI as a political party, adding that he would stand by the former prime minister “until the last moment.” He reiterated that PTI could return to the standing committees if a meeting with Imran Khan was arranged. “If the government is serious about negotiations, it should come forward and talk,” he said, adding that the opposition was ready to hold talks in the Constitution Room of Parliament House.