‘Guardian of Punjab': CM Maryam Nawaz dons police uniform

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Thursday surprised everyone as she donned a police uniform for the passing out parade of the provincial police.

In her address, the provincial chief executive expressed happiness over the 650 women who became part of the Punjab police. Maryam added that she feels happy when she sees women police officers holding arms and perform their duty during different public rallies she attends.

She also said that when the inspector general of Punjab police invited her to the passing out parade she eagerly waited to attend the parade.

“When I saw the female police officers today I realised that they would have taken their training seriously,” CM Maryam said.

Talking about the police uniform she wore, the chief minister said when she donned the uniform she realised that how big of a responsibility it is.

In her address, Maryam also spoke about the challenges she had to face in the political journey that led her to become the chief minister of the province.

"I had to wade through a river of fire to reach where I am today. The times that trained me have made it possible for no one to say that I am Nawaz Sharif’s daughter which is why I am here,” CM Maryam said, adding that it was not a “difficult task” for her as she had to prove herself.

Maryam, who is the first female chief minister of any province in the country, urged parents to trust their girls. She also told the new officers that she had no room for space in her heart and told them that she hoped they would take “cruelty” to its logical end.

Like father, like daughter

CM Maryam is not the first chief minister of Punjab who has donned a police uniform on such an occasion.

A picture collage shared by the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) on X, formerly Twitter, showed that Maryam’s father, Nawaz Sharif, also wore a police uniform on such an occasion during the time he held the provincial chief executive’s post.

Maryam also interacted with the police officers at the parade after the speech and many officers gathered around her post-parade.

Many social media users also reacted to seeing Maryam in the uniform.