- Kh Asif, Maryam Nawaz also attend meeting, briefed on project spans 30 km and to serve 51,000+ daily passengers with 40 electric buses
- 15-member Steering Committee to map, monitor, and eliminate forced child labour across Punjab
LAHORE: President PML-N Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Thursday approved the Gujranwala Mass Transit Project during a high-level meeting chaired by him, with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif in attendance.
The project, hailed as a long-overdue right for the citizens of Gujranwala, is set to transform urban mobility while advancing the city’s development agenda.
Addressing the meeting, Nawaz Sharif expressed satisfaction over the progressive initiatives launched by the Punjab government, noting their potential to benefit the public and accelerate the city’s socio-economic growth.
Provincial Minister for Transport Bilal Akbar provided a detailed briefing, stating that the Gujranwala Mass Transit Project will span over 30 kilometres from Eminabad to Gakkhar, serving more than 51,000 passengers daily. The system will operate 40 electric articulated buses, offering an eco-friendly, efficient, and comfortable travel experience for the city’s residents.
Steering Committee constituted to eliminate forced child labour
In a parallel initiative, on the directives of CM Maryam Nawaz, a 15-member Steering Committee has been constituted to eliminate forced child labour across Punjab. Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb will chair the committee, with former MNA Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha as co-chair. The committee includes provincial ministers, secretaries of key departments, Chairman PITB, and DIG Police, ensuring an integrated, multi-sectoral approach.
The committee will conduct a province-wide mapping to identify industries and sectors where forced child labour exists—including brick kilns, agriculture, fisheries, workshops, and auto-repair units—and establish a central AI- and GIS-integrated data bank.
Immediate, medium-term, and long-term strategies will be formulated to provide alternatives for affected children, along with awareness campaigns targeting parents, teachers, and society at large. Performance evaluation mechanisms will ensure accountability in eradicating child labour. Punjab becomes the first province to introduce such a comprehensive framework, expected to elevate its global standing in child protection and labour rights.
President Nawaz Sharif and CM Maryam Nawaz emphasized that both the mass transit project and anti-child labour measures reflect Punjab’s commitment to public welfare, sustainable urban development, and social justice.
