CM Maryam unveils ambitious education, clean water push across Punjab

• Punjab CM approves Aitchison-standard boys' and girls' schools across the province

• First Maryam Nawaz Centre of Academic Leadership cleared to enrol 10,000 students

• DCs directed to identify unsafe drinking water areas and submit urgent reports

• Govt approves 2,258 water filtration plants and four new bottling plants under Clean Drinking Water Project

 LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Tuesday approved the establishment of Aitchison-standard boys' and girls' schools across the province and gave the green light for the first Maryam Nawaz Centre of Academic Leadership in Lahore, while separately directing deputy commissioners to identify areas with unsafe drinking water as the provincial government accelerated initiatives to improve education and expand access to clean drinking water across Punjab.

The decisions were taken during separate meetings chaired by the chief minister, where officials briefed her on plans to establish a world-class academic institution and ongoing measures to rehabilitate and expand the province's clean drinking water infrastructure.

During a meeting on school education, Maryam Nawaz approved the establishment of Aitchison-standard boys' and girls' schools across Punjab and formally cleared the pilot project for the first Maryam Nawaz Centre of Academic Leadership for male and female students on Wahdat Road in Lahore.

وزیرِ اعلیٰ پنجاب مریم نواز شریف کی زیرِ صدارت خصوصی اجلاس ہوا۔ اجلاس میں پنجاب میں ایچی سن طرز کے بوائز اینڈ گرلز اسکولز کے قیام اور پہلے "مریم نواز سنٹر آف اکیڈمک لیڈر شپ" کی منظوری دے دی گئی۔ وحدت روڈ لاہور پر قائم ہونے والے اس جدید تعلیمی مرکز میں 5 ہزار طلبہ اور 5 ہزار… pic.twitter.com/rQHbgwSowB

— Government of Punjab (@GovtofPunjabPK) July 14, 2026

A detailed briefing informed the chief minister that the centre would have the capacity to enrol 5,000 boys and 5,000 girls. The institution will feature state-of-the-art academic and sports facilities, including a modern sports hall, hockey and cricket stadiums, horse-riding facilities and a swimming pool for students.

DCs DIRECTED TO IDENTIFY UNSAFE DRINKING WATER AREAS

In a separate meeting on the rehabilitation of water filtration plants, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed deputy commissioners of all districts to identify areas where drinking water is unsafe and submit comprehensive reports as part of the provincial government's drive to restore and expand access to clean drinking water.

وزیرِ اعلیٰ پنجاب مریم نواز شریف کی زیرِ صدارت خصوصی اجلاس ہوا۔ اجلاس میں صوبہ بھر میں جاری صاف پانی منصوبوں پر پیش رفت کا جائزہ لیا گیا۔ وزیرِ اعلیٰ مریم نواز شریف نے خراب پانی سے متاثرہ علاقوں کے لیے بوٹلنگ پلانٹس، واٹر فلٹریشن پلانٹس، کلسٹر بیسڈ منصوبوں پر عملدرآمد تیز کرنے،… pic.twitter.com/Fwk6Tr1Ej6

— Government of Punjab (@GovtofPunjabPK) July 14, 2026

She instructed district administrations to identify localities where residents have to travel long distances to obtain safe drinking water and ordered an assessment of drinking water requirements in areas facing acute shortages.

Officials informed the meeting that bottling plants had already been made operational in the worst-affected districts, including Khushab, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan. Bottled drinking water will be transported to affected communities through trucks.

A digital report presented during the meeting stated that the Khushab bottling plant has the capacity to produce 50,000 bottles of drinking water per hour.

Maryam Nawaz sought immediate reports from the deputy commissioners of Khushab, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur on the prevailing drinking water situation in their respective districts.

The meeting also approved the establishment of four additional bottling plants under the CM Punjab Clean Drinking Water Project. Officials informed the chief minister that 2,258 water filtration plants would be constructed across the province, while cluster-based plants equipped with water tanks would also be established to strengthen the supply of clean drinking water.

In the first phase, 22 cluster-based plants will be established in Bahawalpur Division and another 10 in Rajanpur.

The chief minister further directed the authorities to immediately address complaints regarding non-functional and faulty water filtration plants and instructed deputy commissioners to ensure the restoration and operationalisation of damaged or closed filtration facilities in their respective districts.