MANDI BAHAUDDIN (Dunya News) - Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has warned that no one, regardless of wealth or influence, will be allowed to escape accountability for committing crimes, stressing that the era of political recommendations and preferential treatment in the province is over.
Addressing a ceremony at the University of Rasul in Mandi Bahauddin, where laptops and Honhaar Scholarship cheques were distributed among students, the chief minister said the law would take action against anyone who used their power or wealth to harm ordinary citizens.
She particularly warned those involved in violence against women and children, urging them to abandon criminal activities or face legal consequences.
Maryam said she intended to meet the chief justice of the Lahore High Court to discuss cases in which accused individuals secured bail shortly after being arrested. She cited an incident involving an alleged assault at a petrol pump, where the suspect reportedly obtained bail the following day.
The chief minister reiterated that accountability would apply even to members of her own political party, adding that Punjab's government stood with victims of injustice.
‘Merit Is the Only Key’ to Scholarships and Laptops
Speaking about educational initiatives, Maryam said laptops and Honhaar Scholarships were being distributed strictly on merit, without favouritism or political interference.
She announced that students would continue to benefit from laptops, electric buses, Chromebooks and scholarship programmes designed to support their education and development.
She also referred to incidents involving violence against women and children, including the death of an orphan child in a car-related incident in Multan, saying such cases remained deeply troubling to her.
Addressing students, the chief minister expressed her desire to provide them with every possible opportunity for success, asking in return for their commitment and loyalty to Pakistan.
Maryam distributed scholarship cheques and laptops among college and university students during her visit. She received a warm welcome in Mandi Bahauddin, where residents showered her vehicle with flower petals and celebrated her arrival.