GUJRAT(National times)- Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif criticized the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), claiming people there still live in “stone-age” conditions and are unaware of progress, while children are being exposed to violence. Speaking at an event at Gujrat University, she emphasized that political power is temporary, like sand slipping through fingers. Addressing students, Maryam Nawaz said she came as a mother to make a promise: all of Punjab’s resources are dedicated to the youth. She encouraged students to dream freely, assuring them that scholarships, laptops, and other facilities would be awarded strictly on merit. “I am answerable to Allah. No one can claim scholarships were given on recommendation; merit alone decides,” she said. She added that the success of students brings her more joy than to their parents, calling Generation Z the future of Punjab and the country. “You will manage the nation’s affairs; the survival of this country rests in your hands,” she asserted. She further declared 2026 as the “year of youth,” promising full support without expecting anything in return, urging students to appreciate their homeland. Maryam Nawaz contrasted Punjab with KP, claiming KP children are given weapons instead of education, taught violence, and told to block roads and shops. In Punjab, she said, children enjoy merit-based scholarships, laptops, Parwaz Cards, technical training, and free Green Bus transport to educational institutions. “Where Punjab has progress, KP has chaos,” she said. She concluded by stressing her national identity, saying, “I am first Pakistani, then Punjabi,” and reiterated that Punjab youth must be equipped with modern tools to compete globally. She accused the KP government of merely raising awareness while obstructing development.