Maryam highlights Punjab’s urban transformation at Baku forum

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz delivered a keynote address at the World Urban Forum Leaders Summit in Baku, highlighting Punjab’s urban transformation initiatives, housing projects and people-centered governance model.

Calling her participation in the summit an honor, Maryam praised Baku as a reflection of modern urban transformation, vision and global connectivity. She said the historic old city of Baku symbolized the deep civilizational ties between Pakistan and Azerbaijan, adding that ancient trade routes such as Multan Sarai reflected centuries-old people-to-people connections between the two nations.

The Punjab chief minister conveyed greetings from Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the people of Pakistan, while thanking the Azerbaijani government for its hospitality and arrangements.

Maryam praised Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for his vision of sustainable development and resilient cities, saying his leadership had transformed Baku into a vibrant and globally connected city. She also recalled the close relationship between Nawaz Sharif and Azerbaijan’s founding leader Heydar Aliyev.

Highlighting Punjab’s development agenda, the chief minister said cities should be built around human dignity, environmental sustainability and data-driven governance. She announced that Punjab had launched the “Punjab Socio-Economic Registry,” a door-to-door data collection system aimed at ensuring inclusive development.

She said the flagship “Apni Chhat Apna Ghar” program was providing interest-free housing loans on a massive scale, with 160,000 families receiving housing support in less than a year and more than 100,000 families already moving into their homes.

Maryam also highlighted the “Model Village Program,” clean drinking water initiatives and a $2 billion urban development program focused on roads, drainage and flood-resilient infrastructure. She said more than 30,000 kilometers of roads had been completed in two years.

The chief minister announced restoration work at over 100 historical and cultural sites under the “Magnificent Punjab” initiative aimed at preserving heritage and promoting tourism across the province.