Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif addressed inauguration ceremony of Electric Bus Project in Pakpattan Sharif and made several key announcements. She announced induction of 400 more electric buses next year along with bringing 1100 buses in Phase-I by December. She also announced construction and repair of 25 kilometers of roads in every village along with providing historic subsidy on DAP fertilizer for farmers across Punjab.
Chief Minister Punjab directed all Deputy Commissioners to establish bus stops for electric buses within three months. She also announced to establish new sewerage and drainage lines, underground water storage tanks along with providing clean drinking water through water tankers to remote areas. Highlighting urban improvement, she unveiled a beautification plan for small and large cities. During her visit, she rode an electric bus for 1.5 kilometers and expressed satisfaction over the city's cleanliness and organized setup.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif emphasized that true progress means equal development across all 38 districts of Punjab. She expressed pride in launching ‘Suthra’ Punjab Program, the world’s largest waste management initiative, costing Rs. 100 billion. Under this program, waste management machinery is being provided to every district, tehsil and village without any discrimination. She emphasized that “daughters not only clean but also beautify homes,” reflecting her strong commitment towards making a cleaner Punjab. She added that electric buses are now operating in cities where public transport never existed before, including Mianwali, Wazirabad, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Faisalabad, D.G. Khan and Pakpattan.
Chief Minister Punjab revealed that fare for electric bus is set at Rs. 20, while students, women, senior citizens and differently-abled persons can travel free of cost. Electric buses feature separate compartments for women and installation of CCTV cameras for monitoring purpose to ensure their security. She stated that development is now moving from big cities to smaller towns, with major progress being shown in drainage, disposal and sanitation systems. WASA, once limited to Lahore and major cities, now has established offices in 25 cities across Punjab.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif highlighted that in just eight months, 90,000 houses are under construction, with a target to build 500,000 homes in five years under “Apni Chhat Apna Ghar” program. Additionally, 14 lac workers are receiving Rs. 3,000 monthly financial assistance. She noted that first cardiology center has become operational in Sahiwal division which has been established in a short span of one year, while Nawaz Sharif Cardiology Centers in Murree and Sargodha have become operational. She disclosed that Nawaz Sharif Cancer Hospital in Lahore is rapidly nearing its completion and cancer treatment through latest co-ablation machines has started at Mayo Hospital.
Chief Minister Punjab denounced previous governments for discontinuing provision of free medicines in government hospitals across Punjab. She affirmed that her administration has launched free delivery service of medicines for hepatitis, heart disease, tuberculosis and insulin patients at their doorsteps. She underscored that Punjab’s crime rate was alarmingly high and had become a den of criminals before she took office, but her government has focused on improving law and order situation and equal public service in the province.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif reiterated her commitment to provide interest-free loans and machinery for farmers, as well as launching ‘Himat’ and Minority Cards across Punjab. She recalled that despite recent devastating floods in Punjab’s history, swift and timely action saved both human lives and livestock, proving Punjab’s resilience to combat any sort of calamity. 27 districts across Punjab were worst affected due to havoc wreaked by recent floods. Concluding her address, she outlined that PML-N remains united like a wall of steel, despite decades of adversaries efforts to divide it.