Harassment, violence against women won’t be tolerated: CM

LAHORE – Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday announced laptops for position-holding students and five buses for Kinnaird College for Women, reaffirming her government’s commitment to women’s education, safety and economic empowerment. Addressing the 89th convocation of Kinnaird College, she congratulated the graduating students, their parents and faculty members, describing every girl attending the ceremony as “a complete story of success”. Maryam said the provincial government was determined to ensure that every child received an education regardless of financial circumstances, stressing that economic constraints should not prevent talented students from pursuing their ambitions. Highlighting the challenges faced by women, she said society often viewed men’s and women’s professional aspirations differently.
“When a boy works hard, people say he wants to get ahead. When a girl works hard, they say she is only concerned about herself,” she remarked, urging women to remain determined and demonstrate their capabilities through hard work.
The chief minister said women should not abandon their professional ambitions because of expectations that they must prioritise domestic responsibilities. Citing her own experience of balancing official and household duties, she said women could successfully manage both.
She said the government had worked over the past three years to make Punjab more women-friendly, adding that providing a safe environment and equal opportunities was the state’s responsibility.
Expressing pleasure at seeing young women riding scooters and rickshaws and entering the workforce, she recalled a video of a student who attended university in the morning and worked as an Uber driver in the evening. The example, she said, demonstrated that women were as capable as men.
Maryam warned that harassment and violence against women would not be tolerated in Punjab. She said CCTV cameras and panic buttons had been installed on electric buses to enable prompt action against harassment, urging female students to report such incidents. She also asked parents to listen to their daughters’ complaints rather than discourage them from speaking out.
The chief minister said the government had moved towards providing equal opportunities to boys and girls through its schemes, replacing an earlier 70:30 allocation in favour of boys with a policy of equal access.
Highlighting education initiatives, she referred to the Honhaar Scholarship Programme, laptop distribution and Nawaz Sharif Schools of Eminence, saying the government wanted to support students who faced financial barriers to continuing their education. She said 22 universities had been without vice chancellors when she assumed office, but appointments had subsequently been made on merit. She had personally conducted interviews to ensure that appointments were not influenced by recommendations, she added, warning that unsuitable appointments could damage educational institutions. Maryam urged graduates not to consider themselves inferior to others, saying perseverance and hard work could enable women to reach the highest positions in public life, including chief minister, minister, commissioner and deputy commissioner.
 She also praised Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb for efforts to combat smog, saying the government was working to provide children with a healthier environment.
 The chief minister said the government would continue investing in students’ futures and facilitating women’s access to electric bikes through easy instalments to improve their mobility and employment prospects.
Concluding her address, she expressed pride in the achievements of Punjab’s daughters and urged parents to support their children in pursuing their ambitions. She also led the graduates in applauding their parents for standing by them throughout their educational journeys.