KP needs service, not unrest, after 13 years of incompetence: Maryam Nawaz

LAHORE – Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has blamed what she described as 13 years of incompetence for discussions about imposing governor’s rule and an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), saying the province needs public service rather than unrest.

In a statement posted on X, Maryam Nawaz said the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had spent 13 years witnessing sit-ins, unrest, abusive language and cheap social media trends.

“If Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is now hearing talk of governor’s rule and an emergency, it is not the fault of the people but the result of 13 years of incompetence,” she said.

Addressing the people of KP, the Punjab chief minister questioned why Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, despite being part of the same country, operating under the same Constitution and sharing the national treasury, were experiencing such different outcomes in development, law and order.

“The difference is not in resources but in intentions and competence,” she said.

Maryam Nawaz asked why KP could not achieve the same level of cleanliness as Punjab, saying that politics had taken precedence over sanitation in the province.

She also questioned why children in KP were not receiving scholarships similar to those provided to talented students in Punjab, alleging that sit-ins had been prioritised over children’s welfare.

The Punjab chief minister further asked why mothers in Punjab could live without fear while those in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained concerned about their safety. She alleged that the focus in KP had been on advancing towards Islamabad rather than protecting the public.

Comparing the two provinces’ transport infrastructure, she questioned why green electric buses could operate in Punjab but similar projects had not been delivered in KP, claiming that projects there existed on social media rather than on the ground.

She also highlighted differences in road infrastructure, asking why paved roads could reach villages in Punjab while roads in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained incomplete.

On healthcare, Maryam Nawaz asked why free medicines, field hospitals and clinics on wheels could reach people’s doorsteps in Punjab while patients in KP continued to face difficulties. She alleged that the pursuit of power had been given greater importance than public health in the province.

“The answer to all these questions is the same: 13 years of unrest and incompetence,” she said.

Maryam Nawaz maintained that Punjab had demonstrated that governments were run not through loud claims but through practical work and service delivery.

“Khyber Pakhtunkhwa now needs public service, not unrest,” she added.