Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan’s economy is stabilising after recovering from the threat of default, and pledged to continue public service and development across the province.
Speaking at the foundation stone ceremony of the Gujranwala Mass Transit System, she said the 31-kilometre corridor from Aimanabad to Gakkar will feature 15 signal-free corridors and four underpasses, with a completion timeline of 12 months and a cost of Rs63 billion. She added that Gujranwala will receive superior metro buses compared to Lahore and Rawalpindi. Faisalabad’s metro project is expected to be launched shortly.
Maryam Nawaz highlighted the legacy of her father Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, noting past metro projects in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Multan. She vowed to continue their work while addressing citizens’ needs.
Under the Punjab Development Program, 38 districts are receiving upgraded sewage and sanitation systems at a cost of Rs400 billion. She said after one year, no district will experience 2–3 feet water accumulation.
She highlighted social initiatives, including issuing 1.5 million ration cards (500,000 already distributed), awarding 80,000 scholarships, providing 100,000 laptops, and improving facilities in 49,000 schools. Centers of Excellence are being established in 38 districts, drawing three-month waiting lists due to rising standards, and 6,000 school labs are under construction to boost science and technology education.
On healthcare, she noted the construction of a medical city on the Ring Road and Institutes of Cardiology in Sargodha, Sahiwal, and Murree, alongside the largest-ever flood rescue and relief operations in the province.
Maryam Nawaz emphasised her mandate to serve the people, contrasting Punjab’s development focus with political protests elsewhere, and concluded by praying for continued success in following the path of Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif.
