Progress hinges on continuity: Maryam

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has said governments that perform well should be allowed to complete their five-year terms, arguing that the lack of policy continuity in Pakistan remains a major hurdle to development.

Addressing a delegation of the National Command Authority Senior Officers Leadership Course here on Thursday, she said Pakistan's "excellent image and new face" had emerged before the world during its recent war with India, adding that the army and other security institutions were rendering valuable services for the country's defence.

The chief minister said good governance and performance were essential to tackling internal security threats. "We are Pakistanis first, regardless of whether we belong to Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan or Gilgit," she said, stressing the need for continuity in national policies.

She said Punjab's governance standards had improved because the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz had remained in government in the province for longer periods. While claiming that terrorism had been brought under control in Punjab, she acknowledged that the threat had not disappeared and said the provincial government remained prepared for possible attacks.

The chief minister said the province had previously had around 70 "no-go areas", but no such area now. "I am responsible for the safety of 140 million people, so I had to take decisions that had not been taken before," she said.

She said the government had strengthened the security infrastructure, particularly in border areas, by establishing fortified check posts and providing weapons and night-vision cameras. She also highlighted round-the-clock surveillance to detect terrorist activities.

The chief minister said the Punjab government had established separate groups for administration and law and order and that special attention was being given to crimes against women and children.