Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday praised Punjab’s fast paced development under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, expressing strong confidence that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would secure “historic results” in the next general election.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of a new mass transport system, he said recent electoral gains in Punjab proved that the public trusted the PML-N leadership. Shehbaz added that the government had a three-year mandate to serve people and must work with full dedication under former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
The prime minister said the ongoing development projects combined with the government’s “hard work” would play a decisive role in the next polls. “The journey of progress has just begun, and we will continue to move forward at full speed. This performance will lead PML-N to historic success,” he remarked in a speech televised nationwide.
Top officials, including Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, federal and provincial ministers, lawmakers and local residents, attended the event.
Shehbaz described the new mass transit plan as a people-friendly initiative designed to improve daily travel for students, workers, patients, lawyers and other commuters. Calling it a “gift” from the Punjab chief minister, he said the project would bring major relief to the district.
Reflecting on the province’s history, Shehbaz said Punjab’s development journey began in 1985 when Nawaz Sharif launched major economic and infrastructure projects at a time of political confrontation. These steps, he said, helped change Pakistan’s political direction and shaped later electoral narratives.
He said Nawaz Sharif’s contributions especially Pakistan’s nuclear tests would be remembered “in golden words.” Without that decision, he added, the recent conflict with India in May might have turned out differently.
The prime minister also praised Maryam Nawaz’s “dynamic and young leadership,” listing ongoing projects such as the new cancer hospital, metro bus extensions, environmental drives, housing schemes for low income families, flood relief efforts and school upgrades. “These works speak for themselves and even critics cannot deny them,” he said.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif also addressed the ceremony, outlining key development initiatives launched by her government.
