Punjab CM nominates Attock martyr for highest civil award after foiling suicide attack

• CM Maryam says Liaqat Shaheed laid down life to save countless innocent people

• Calls martyr ‘real hero’ of Pakistani nation, who stopped suicide bomber at Jand border check-post before major tragedy

• Punjab CM pays glowing tribute to nurses on International Nurses Day

 LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Monday announced that Liaqat Shaheed would be nominated for the country’s highest civil award in recognition of his supreme sacrifice after foiling a suicide attack in Attock by laying down his life.

According to a handout issued by the Directorate General Public Relations Punjab, Liaqat Shaheed courageously stopped a suicide bomber from advancing at the Jand border check-post. The attacker later detonated himself, resulting in Liaqat Shaheed’s martyrdom while preventing a potentially devastating tragedy.

Paying rich tribute to the martyr’s extraordinary bravery and sacrifice, the chief minister said individuals like Liaqat Shaheed were the true heroes of the Pakistani nation who placed the safety of their homeland above their own lives.

She said Liaqat Shaheed had set the highest example of patriotism and sacrifice by embracing martyrdom in the line of duty to protect innocent lives and defend the country.

The Punjab CM further announced that Liaqat Shaheed would formally be nominated for the nation’s highest civil award in acknowledgment of his unmatched courage and sacrifice.

CM pays tribute to nurses, announces internship programme and Centre of Excellence

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz paid glowing tribute to nurses and healthcare professionals for their invaluable services to humanity, praising their tireless dedication in strengthening the healthcare system.

In a special message issued on International Nurses Day, the chief minister described nurses as a symbol of hope, courage and compassion during times of illness, pain and helplessness.

She reaffirmed the Punjab government’s commitment to ensuring the professional growth, dignity and self-respect of nurses serving in public hospitals across the province.

The Punjab CM said nurses formed the backbone of every hospital and healthcare system, remaining engaged day and night in the care and treatment of patients.

“Nursing is not merely a profession but a sacred duty,” she remarked, adding that nurses were held in the highest esteem in every civilized society for their devotion and humanitarian service.

Maryam Nawaz said the Punjab government had introduced language courses and modern training programmes in the nursing sector to improve nurses’ professional capabilities and quality of life.

She further said that an internship programme had been launched for BSN nursing degree holders under which interns were being paid a stipend equivalent to the basic salary of a charge nurse during the training period.

The chief minister also announced the establishment of a state-of-the-art Nursing Centre of Excellence in Rawalpindi to further strengthen professional nursing education and specialised training.

She said the Punjab government was focusing on innovation in educational curricula and practical training to transform the nursing sector into a model of excellence and modern healthcare service delivery.