Inaugurates 10 Schools of Eminence for Sahiwal Division in Arifwala
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has officially launched a major expansion of the province’s green public transportation system by inaugurating a fleet of modern electric buses in five districts. Describing the initiative as Pakistan’s largest electric public transport program, she said the provincial government is investing Rs200 billion to build an environmentally friendly, affordable, and comfortable transport network for millions of commuters across Punjab.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the chief minister said the new electric bus service has initially been introduced in Chiniot, Layyah, Okara, Sialkot, and Murree, with the objective of providing high-quality public transportation to residents of both urban and rural areas. She emphasized that the project is designed to ensure equal access to safe and modern travel facilities without discrimination, particularly benefiting low- and middle-income citizens.
According to Maryam Nawaz, the Rs200 billion investment covers the import of electric buses, the development of charging stations, and the construction of supporting transport infrastructure across the province. She highlighted that the electric buses had successfully completed trial runs even on the steep and mountainous roads of Murree, demonstrating their reliability, durability, and suitability for challenging terrain.
The chief minister also outlined the government’s long-term vision for expanding the green transport network throughout Punjab. She announced that by the end of August this year, electric bus services are expected to reach every district and tehsil in the province. In the next phase of the project, additional buses will be added, eventually increasing the fleet to approximately 5,000 electric buses, creating one of the largest clean public transportation systems in the region.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz on Thursday inaugurated 10 Nawaz Sharif Schools of Eminence for the Sahiwal Division at Arifwala, describing also initiative as part of the provincial government’s drive to improve the quality of public education. During the ceremony, the chief minister interacted with schoolchildren, accepted bouquets from them and spent time among the students. She later visited the newly established School of Eminence, where she inspected classrooms, the computer laboratory and the robotics lab. The chief minister also reviewed the “Maryam Nawaz Sahara Robot”, developed by students of Pilot School, Lahore. She observed a live demonstration of the robot and was informed that it is capable of analysing the eye movements of stroke patients to interpret their responses. According to the briefing, the robot has undergone a successful one-month pilot trial at Lahore General Hospital.
Education Minister Punjab Rana Sikandar Hayat briefed the chief minister on the Schools of Eminence project. He said that 10,376 schools across Punjab have been upgraded, while student enrolment is projected to increase from 500,000 to over 1.025 million.
