LAHORE (National Times)- Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said that following appreciation from the U.S. Congress, global business magazine Forbes has now also acknowledged the performance and governance model of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. In a statement issued on Monday, Azma Bokhari said the ‘Suthra Punjab Programme’, Maryam Nawaz’s flagship cleanliness initiative, has managed to attract international recognition in just a few months. She said the chief minister is “cleaning the entire Punjab the way one keeps their own home clean.” The information minister added that Forbes has noted Maryam Nawaz’s efforts in resolving what she described as a 75-year-old issue of inconsistent sanitation across the province. According to the minister, the magazine highlighted that the programme has significantly reduced disparities between urban and rural areas by ensuring uniform cleanliness standards. Bokhari said that previously, sanitation services were mostly limited to upscale neighbourhoods of major cities, while rural regions remained neglected. “Now, the cleanliness standards in villages match those seen in urban localities,” she remarked. She further stated that Forbes acknowledged that countries around the world are looking to learn from the Suthra Punjab model, praising Maryam Nawaz’s administrative approach and governance style. The minister reiterated that the provincial government remains committed to ensuring that every town and village benefits from improved hygiene and waste management services under the programme. She said the global recognition reflects the effectiveness and transparency of ongoing reforms aimed at modernising Punjab’s sanitation system.