CM Maryam has outperformed other chief ministers, says Shahzad Iqbal

Journalist Shahzad Iqbal has said that Chief Minister(CM) Maryam Nawaz has outperformed other chief ministers in terms of launching initiatives during her first term in office.

Speaking on a private news channel, Iqbal said that a comparison of Maryam’s work with other chief ministers could not realistically be made, particularly because she was serving her first term while some other provincial leaders had held office for multiple terms.

“Any comparison of a Chief Minister regarding their work cannot realistically be made with Maryam Nawaz,” Iqbal said.

He clarified that he was not claiming all of Maryam’s initiatives had already produced results, saying some programmes could take time to show their impact. However, he said the number of initiatives launched by the Punjab government set Maryam apart from other chief ministers.

“I am not saying that all of her work is already showing great results; it might take time. However, even when it comes to taking initiatives, I think Maryam Nawaz has outperformed other Chief Ministers,” he said.

Maryam Nawaz became chief minister on February 26, 2024, beginning her first term in the provincial office.

During her tenure, the provincial government has introduced various programmes in several sectors.

Iqbal compared Maryam’s first term with the political experience of other provincial chief ministers, noting that Punjab had previously been governed by Usman Buzdar and Shehbaz Sharif, while Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had served multiple terms.

Discussing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Iqbal said that the political focus under Ali Amin Gandapur and Sohail Afridi had centred on resistance and efforts to secure the release of PTI founder Imran Khan.

“In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, all the discussions ever since Ali Amin Gandapur and Sohail Afridi arrived both of these choices themselves tell you that PTI’s priority right now is not to do development or solve public issues,” he said.

Iqbal added that bureaucracy in other provinces continued to work and development projects remained underway, but he did not see the same level of initiatives that he associated with Maryam’s government.