- Punjab CM announces free electric bus travel for women, students and senior citizens, saying 1,100 buses to arrive by December, 1,500 more next year
- Announces comprehensive package of Rs20,000 per acre for farmers, Rs1m for those whose houses destroyed in floods
- Says 80,000 houses under construction under Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar scheme
LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday inaugurated the Electric Bus Project in Wazirabad, unveiling a wide-ranging package of initiatives to strengthen public transport, support flood-hit families, and fast-track development across the province.
Speaking at the ceremony, the chief minister announced the establishment of a cardiac treatment centre in Gujranwala and declared free travel on electric buses for women, students, senior citizens, and differently-abled persons, according to an official handout. She further revealed that the Metro Bus Service would soon be launched in Gujranwala to provide modern and affordable transport facilities.
In a major relief package for flood-affected farmers, she announced compensation of Rs20,000 per acre, Rs1 million for fully destroyed houses, Rs500,000 for partially damaged homes, Rs500,000 for the loss of cows and buffaloes, and Rs50,000 for goats and sheep. She vowed that her government would not rest until every displaced family was rehabilitated.
Highlighting progress in housing, Maryam said that under the Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar scheme, 80,000 houses are already under construction, with the target of 100,000 houses to be completed by December.
She also announced that 1,100 electric buses would be inducted in Punjab by December, followed by another 1,500 buses next year. These buses, she said, would feature modern amenities including free Wi-Fi, mobile charging ports, and dedicated safe travel for women and female students. On affordability, she revealed that fares on the Wazirabad–Gakhar Mandi route would be reduced from Rs200 to just Rs20.
Paying tribute to the resilience of flood-affected families, the CM said they would not be labelled as “victims” but as “guests of the Punjab government.” She noted that Punjab was facing the worst floods in its history, with 2.5 million people evacuated and rehabilitated, and added that timely action prevented wider devastation as water levels in three rivers reached critical stages.
CM Maryam praised the coordinated rescue, relief, and rehabilitation efforts of the Pakistan Army, Navy, Rescue 1122, Civil Defence, Police, and local administration. She also commended her cabinet colleagues—Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Khawaja Salman Rafique, Khawaja Imran Nazir, Kazim Pirzada, and Rana Sikandar Hayat—for supervising ground operations.
She said the Punjab government remained committed to serving people “day and night” by ensuring supplies of food, rations, medicines, tents, and animal fodder in affected areas. Stressing that modern transport projects would no longer be confined to major cities, she recalled that electric bus services had already been launched in Mianwali and now in Wazirabad.
The CM thanked the people of Wazirabad for their warm reception and conveyed greetings from former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. “A few days ago, I visited Wazirabad during the floods, and today I have returned to present the people of Wazirabad with the gift of electric buses,” she remarked.
