Punjab is stirring again. The land that gave us Baba Farid and the rhythm of dhol beats is seeing a cultural revival that feels both overdue and surprisingly fresh.

At the centre of this resurgence is Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, who’s made the preservation and celebration of Punjab’s identity a visible part of her agenda. In one of her early speeches, she described Punjab’s cultural legacy as a shared pride and promised government backing to help it survive, grow, and reach younger generations.

This isn’t just talk. Across the province, funding has been boosted for local festivals and traditional events. Schools and colleges have been encouraged to hold Punjabi poetry readings, storytelling sessions, and community-based cultural days. There’s even a renewed push to fold Punjabi language and literature more firmly into classrooms–a move many educators say is long overdue. Historical sites, too, are getting attention. Restoration work is being treated as a cultural necessity, not just a bureaucratic task. Information and Culture Minister Azma Bokhari has played a key role in turning these ideas into action. Where the Chief Minister has set the tone, Bukhari has taken the baton and run with it.........

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