The Maryam Nawaz provincial government is the Provincial Cabinet of Punjab, Pakistan headed by the present Chief Minister of Punjab (Pakistan), Maryam Nawaz. The oath-taking ceremony of Maryam as Chief Minister was held on 25 February 2024 during Pakistani political unrest. The 18-member cabinet ministers took oath on 6 March.
Marriyum Aurangzeb was made a senior minister, virtually making her the deputy chief minister of Punjab. Reportedly, due to Maryam Nawaz's lack of parliamentary experience, Aurangzeb, instead of being assigned to the Federal Government, was transferred to the Punjab government to assist Maryam in handling the provincial government's affairs. This also caused a stir among the PML-N MPAs in Punjab Assembly.
Reportedly, Maryam's father Nawaz Sharif, endorsed the selection of cabinet ministers, whom Maryam also referred to as her mentor.
History Inauguration Provincial elections were held in Punjab on 8 February 2024 to elect 18th Provincial Assembly of the Punjab. Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) won 137 out of total 297 direct seats in the Punjab Assembly. Later, 23 independent candidates who won direct seats also joined PML-N.
On 26 February 2024, Senior Vice President of PML-N and MPA Maryam Nawaz was elected by the PML-N legislative members as their leader in the assembly and later, the same day she took oath as the Chief Minister in the Punjab government in a public ceremony in Lahore. On 6 March, an 18-member provincial cabinet of Chief Minister Maryam, was sworn in. Maryam relative Bilal Yasin was made the Minister for Food while her close associate Faisal Ayub Khokhar, was given the portfolio of the Sports Affairs ministry.
She also appointed three ministers from her uncle Shahbaz Sharif’s third provincial Punjab cabinet namely, Khawaja Imran Nazir, Khawaja Salman Rafique, and Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman. The cabinet comprised two female ministers; Marriyum Aurangzeb and Azma Bukhari, and two ministers from Non-Muslim community; Khalil Tahir Sandhu and Ramesh Singh Arora.
Major initiatives Shortly after assuming office as Chief Minister, Maryam announced the establishment of first public cancer hospital to be built in Lahore. She launched various initiatives such as Ramadan Nigehban (Guardian Ramadan) Package to deliver essential food items to the needy people before the start of Ramadan, Suthra Punjab (Clean Punjab) campaign to cleanup whole of Punjab within a month, Sarkain Bahal Punjab Khushhaal project to construct, repair and rehabilitate roads in Punjab, Never Again to eliminate violence against women, and Apni Chat Apna Ghar project to provide homes for the poor.
On 11 March, she approved the procurement of 657 environment-friendly buses for the urban areas of Punjab and 20,000 electric bikes. These 20,000 e-bikes were intended for students on "easy" installment plans. On 12 March, she approved the construction of 21-storey Arfa Karim Tower-II as well setting up 516 free Wi-Fi points in Lahore. On 12 March, the Punjab Emergency Services Department announced plans to launch an air ambulance service in Punjab, a project proposed by Maryam.
On 18 March, the Punjab cabinet, chaired by Maryam Nawaz, presented its inaugural budget of Rs4,480 billion for a specific period of three months (April to June) for the fiscal year 2023-24. Questions were raised over how Nawaz Sharif, a National Assembly member without any official position in the provincial or federal government, could preside over the administrative meetings of the Punjab government and issue directives. Despite lacking an official role, it was widely perceived that he was heavily influential in major decision-making processes. Subsequently, a petition was lodged in the Lahore High Court against Nawaz Sharif for presiding over three consecutive administrative meetings of the provincial government.
On 5 April, Maryam announced plans for the establishment of a transgender school at the division level in Punjab and has directed the relevant authorities to ensure the provision of educational facilities for special children in at least one government school within each district of Punjab.
Under the ministry, the Punjab Dhee Rani Programme was launched, which aims to help underprivileged families, with marriage financial aid and bridal gifts. She has also introduced the CM Punjab Free Solar Panel Scheme to provide free solar panels to households, helping them reduce electricity costs. Furthermore, the CM Maryam Nawaz Laptop Scheme 2025 is set to distribute 50,000 laptops to students, helping them access technology for their studies. In the field of sports, she has supported the Khelta Punjab Games 2025, which encourages youth participation in sports, with winners receiving E-bikes. Additionally, her government is constructing a school for children with autism, which is a step toward inclusive education. On 9 February 2025, She inaugurated the 2025 National Horse and Cattle show. The event is designed as a family festival featuring culture, literature, and Punjab's vibrant traditions. According to Maryam Aurangzeb, 80 local and 14 national teams will participate, making it a grand national celebration.
On 15 February 2025, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, inaugurated the Green Agri Mall and Service Company in the Cholistan Desert as part of the Green Pakistan Initiative, launched in collaboration with the Pakistan Army. The initiative, introduced in 2023, aims to convert uncultivated government lands into productive agricultural fields to enhance food security and promote sustainable farming practices. The inauguration ceremony was attended by General Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff, along with other government officials and local farmers. The facility aims to provides high-quality seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and rental services for modern farming machinery, including drones, at controlled rates. It also includes a 5,000-acre Smart Agri Farm and an Agricultural Research and Facilitation Centre to offer technical support and advanced agricultural solutions. These developments aim to revolutionize agriculture in the region, ensuring food security and improving farmers' livelihoods in 2025 and beyond.
In April 2025, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif had given formal approval for the launch of Air Punjab, the province's first-ever airline project, marking a major milestone in Punjab's transport and aviation ambitions.
In August 2025, the School Nutrition Programme pilot initiative was launched, aimed at improving the nutritional status of children enrolled in government schools and addressing malnutrition among students in underserved areas. The programme provides daily nutritional supplements, including milk and biscuits, to students during school hours, with the objective of improving health outcomes, increasing school attendance, and enhancing learning capacity by ensuring access to basic nutrition. The pilot phase was launched across eight districts (Bhakkar, Bahawalnagar, Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Rajanpur, Mianwali, Muzaffargarh, and Rahim Yar Khan) covering more than 400,000 students in over 3,500 government schools. According to officials, the programme also includes mechanisms for monitoring distribution and collecting empty milk packs for recycling, with proceeds allocated to participating schools, while broader oversight is intended to ensure transparency and consistent delivery of nutrition supplies. The initiative has been described by provincial authorities as part of wider education and health reforms in Punjab, alongside efforts to improve school infrastructure and learning environments, including the expansion of Punjab Education Endowment Fund (PEEF) Education Tech Schools to rural regions, launching an English-language pilot targeting 300,000 children, establishing 10,000 Early Childhood Education classrooms, increasing enrolment capacity at the Nawaz Sharif Center of Excellence, and initiating the construction of sanitation facilities in girls’ schools. Further measures include digital education and teacher training programmes, the establishment of 6,000 STEM laboratories, and province-wide improvements to school infrastructure, with the stated objective of raising government school standards above those of private institutions.
On 8 January 2026, Sharif inaugurated the distribution of Honorarium Cards for Imams of mosques in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Under the Chief Minister Punjab Honorarium Card scheme, registered imams of approximately 70,000 mosques across the province are to receive a monthly stipend of 25,000 Pakistani rupees delivered through designated cards and bank accounts opened at the Bank of Punjab. The initiative, estimated to cost around 20 billion rupees annually, aims to provide financial support and recognition to mosque imams for their roles in religious guidance and community affairs. The first tranche of payments was planned to begin the following month, with digital card payments intended to enhance transparency and direct disbursement.
List of Members of Cabinet +Sr. No. Name Constituency Portfolio Assumed office Party RefChief Minister1Maryam Nawaz (Chief Minister)PP-159 (Lahore-XV)All other portfolios26 February 2024 PMLNMinisters2 Muhammad Bilal YaminPP-6 Muree1. Planning and Development 2. Environment Protection and Climate Change3. Forestry, Fisheries & Wildlife 4. Chief Minister's Special Initiatives2 March 2026 PMLN 3 Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-RehmanPP-148 (Lahore-IV) Finance 6 March 2024 PMLN 4 Ashiq Husain KhanPP-186 (Okara-II) Agriculture 6 March 2024 PMLN 5 Kazim Ali PirzadaPP-245 (Bahawalpur-I) Irrigation 6 March 2024 PMLN 6 Rana Sikandar HayatPP-183 (Kasur-IX) School Education 6 March 2024 PMLN 7 Khawaja Imran NazirPP-150 (Lahore-VI) Primary & Secondary Health Care 6 March 2024 PMLN 8 Khawaja Salman RafiquePP-153 (Lahore-IX) 1. Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education 2. Punjab Emergency Services 6 March 2024 PMLN 9 Zeeshan RafiqPP-51 (Sialkot-VIII) Local Government and Community Development 6 March 2024 PMLN 10 Bilal Akbar KhanPP-58 (Narowal-V) Transport and Mass Transit 6 March 2024 PMLN 11 Sohaib Ahmad MalikPP-71 (Sargodha-I) Communication and Works 6 March 2024 PMLN 12 Azma BukhariW-301 (Reserved seat for women) Information and culture 6 March 2024 PMLN 13 Bilal YasinPP-174 (Lahore-XXX) Food 6 March 2024 PMLN 14 Ramesh Singh AroraNM-366 (Reserved seat for minorities) Minorities Affairs 6 March 2024 PMLN 15 Malik Iftikhar AhmedPP-14 (Rawalpindi-VIII) 1. Human Rights 11 October 2025 PMLN 2. Parliamentary Affairs10 September 202516 Faisal Ayub KhokharPP-168 (Lahore-XXIV) Sports 6 March 2024 PMLN 17 Shafay Hussain PP-31 (Gujrat-V) Industries, Commerce & Investment 6 March 2024 PML(Q) 18 Sardar Sher Ali Gorchani PP-293 (Rajanpur-II) Mines & Minerals 6 March 2024 PMLN 19 Sohail Shaukat Butt PP-151 (Lahore-VII) Bait-ul-Maal & Social Welfare 6 March 2024 PMLN
On March 19, Maryam Nawaz appointed Saima Farooq as her personal secretary, and Zeeshan Ashiq Malik was named special assistant for political matters, tasked with handling all political affairs on behalf of Maryam.
Reception Since no woman had occupied a top federal or provincial government position since the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in 2007. Maryam's candidacy for the position of Punjab Chief Minister was perceived as a notable development by some segments of the population. Her supporters argue that her election as Pakistan's first female chief minister symbolizes the overcoming of patriarchal norms and a step forward for gender equality in Pakistani politics. However, her critics argue that her rise to this position is mainly due to dynastic politics rather than her personal merit.