Pakistan, Feb. 5 -- While the core issue of Kashmir has shaped Pakistan's foreign policy since 1947, recent years have witnessed provincial governments taking a more proactive role in sustaining national and international attention on the issue. Among them, Punjab, which is Pakistan's most populous and important province, has emerged as a particularly important player under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. By integrating advocacy, humanitarian initiatives and public diplomacy, the Punjab government has strengthened Pakistan's longstanding commitment to the Kashmiri people and projected a principled message on the global stage.

Punjab's approach has gone far beyond ceremonial expressions of solidarity. The Punjab gove...