LAHORE, 12 August, 2026 (Kamran Raja) — Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif met US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie A. Baker on Wednesday, with discussions focusing on education, security, investment and cooperation in various sectors.During the meeting, both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in security, artificial intelligence, digital assets and energy. They also discussed seeking the expertise of US specialists to help Punjab address challenges related to floods and smog.The proposal to organize a Punjab-US Business and Investment Forum in Lahore also came under discussion. The forum is aimed at creating greater opportunities for investment and strengthening economic cooperation between Punjab and the United States.
Natalie A. Baker appreciated Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s initiatives for women’s empowerment and praised the Punjab government’s arrangements for the Basant festival in Lahore, particularly measures taken to ensure public safety during the celebrations.Maryam Nawaz said the Basant festival would be expanded further next year. She said the provincial government was taking legal measures to empower women and introducing policies aimed at promoting development and addressing the challenges posed by climate change.The chief minister said around one million overseas Pakistanis from Punjab living in the United States were a valuable asset for Pakistan. She added that advance measures taken during the monsoon season and the establishment of district water management systems had helped ensure timely drainage of rainwater.
“Punjab is changing,” Maryam Nawaz said, adding that cities and villages across the province were undergoing reforms. She said that as Pakistan’s first woman chief minister, she had focused on translating women’s empowerment into practical measures rather than keeping it merely symbolic.The Punjab government has introduced electric scooters and electric bus services to facilitate women’s mobility, while interest-free loans are being provided to help women establish small businesses and achieve financial independence. Maryam Nawaz also highlighted initiatives aimed at protecting women, including the Direct Pink Button and Virtual Police Station services.