Development projects in Attock took centre stage on Tuesday, when Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif inaugurated 127 schemes across the district, including 59 road schemes costing Rs23 billion. The visit combined infrastructure openings with a large education event, reflecting the provincial government’s current emphasis on roads, public services and support for students.
A Warm Reception and Public Engagement
According to Dawn, large crowds turned out to welcome the chief minister, and key roads in the city were decorated for the occasion. Ms Nawaz removed security barriers in order to meet residents directly, a gesture that drew attention during the visit. She also invited children to perform the inaugurations, which gave the ceremony a distinctly community-oriented character.
Which Development Projects in Attock Were Opened
The facilities inaugurated included an Agri Mall, a land record centre, a model children’s home and the Fatehjang Special Education Centre. Alongside these, the road schemes formed the largest part of the package in financial terms. Among the major roads named were the Fatehjang-Pindigheb road, the Dhoke Laham-Jhamat road and the Mithial Chowk-Dhoke Pathan road.
Speaking about the district’s infrastructure record, Ms Nawaz said 850 kilometres of roads had been built in Attock. She added that billions of rupees were being spent to address rainwater accumulation in the city, and that its market had been beautified. The reference to drainage is significant for a district where seasonal rain can disrupt traffic and commercial activity, although the report did not specify the individual drainage projects or their timelines.
Honhaar Scholarships and Laptops at Comsats University
The chief minister also addressed students at Comsats University during the Honhaar Scholarship Programme and laptop distribution ceremony. She encouraged public engagement and urged students not to lose hope. No child, she said, should have to leave education because of financial hardship, and she described investment in students as vital. She also praised the academic progress of female students and stressed that opportunities must be based on merit.
At the ceremony, Ms Nawaz handed out laptops and scholarship cheques. The Punjab government announced Honhaar scholarships for 3,600 students from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and students from Swabi were among those present. Several beneficiaries told the gathering that the support had made higher education accessible, with semester fees of nearly Rs200,000 cited as a major burden before the assistance.
Figures presented at the event showed that 108,000 students had received scholarships across the first three phases of the programme. Rawalpindi Division alone received 2,590 scholarships worth Rs196.97 million. Of these, 2,085 scholarships worth Rs170.21 million went to students at public universities, 314 worth Rs19.8 million to those at medical universities and colleges, and 191 worth Rs6.96 million to students at colleges affiliated with the Higher Education Department.
The same division was allocated 6,161 laptops, distributed among public universities (4,628), private universities (257), medical colleges (461), nursing colleges (375), special education institutions (17) and Higher Education Department colleges (423). Ms Nawaz said the overall laptop allocation had risen from 40,000 to 112,000, with 48,292 laptops distributed across Punjab so far.
Support for Students From Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
The chief minister said students from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would continue to benefit from the programme. She also said that students were being offered free travel on green buses and would receive e-bikes, measures aimed at easing the cost and difficulty of commuting to campus.
Outlook
The combination of road building, public service facilities and student support illustrates how the provincial government is presenting its agenda in Attock. The scale of the investment, particularly the Rs23 billion committed to road schemes, signals a continued focus on connectivity, while the scholarship and laptop figures point to a parallel push on higher education. As the new facilities begin operating and the remaining announcements are implemented, residents will be able to judge their effect on daily life in the district.
Follow SouthAsianDesk on X, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business and current affairs from across South Asia.
Read More:
