Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Thursday inaugurated an electric bus service in Multan, initially comprising 60 buses, and announced that the service would eventually be expanded to all major routes across the city.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the chief minister said another 100 electric buses would be provided to Multan in the coming days. She described the green electric bus project as an important initiative aimed at providing citizens with safe, affordable and environmentally friendly public transport.
The fare for the new service has been set at Rs20, while women, students, senior citizens and persons with disabilities will be allowed to travel free of charge.
“Green electric buses will operate on all routes of Multan,” Maryam said, adding that the city was initially being provided with a fleet of 60 buses.
The buses are air-conditioned and equipped with free Wi-Fi and charging facilities. CCTV cameras have also been installed to enhance passenger safety, particularly for women. Special facilities, including wheelchair access and ramps, have been provided for persons with disabilities.
Maryam said the provincial government was expanding electric bus services across Punjab without discrimination, adding that every citizen of the province was her responsibility.
She said she did not want to see commuters travelling on bus roofs during her tenure, stressing that the new transport system was intended to provide safer and more dignified travel.
Expansion of electric transport
The Multan launch is part of Punjab’s broader electric public transport programme. The provincial government has said hundreds of electric buses are already operating in different districts, while additional buses are expected to join the fleet shortly.
The government has also approved the deployment of 1,500 electric buses across 91 tehsils from January 2027, with a target of expanding the provincial fleet to 3,000 electric buses by June 2027.
Maryam also announced plans to provide 100,000 electric bikes to students across Punjab as part of the government’s efforts to promote environmentally friendly transportation.
Development projects in South Punjab
During her address, the chief minister highlighted several development initiatives in Multan and other parts of South Punjab.
Referring to the Multan-Vehari Road, she said the route had previously been described as a “killer road” but had been completed by the provincial government within a year. According to Maryam, the project has reduced travel time between the two cities and improved connectivity in the region.
“If I get another two and a half years, we will change the map of South Punjab,” she said.
She also highlighted the establishment of an Agriculture Mall in Multan, where farmers can access seeds, fertilisers, medicines and agricultural machinery under one roof.
Cancer treatment facilities
Maryam also discussed healthcare initiatives in Multan, particularly the city’s cancer treatment facility.
She said the hospital would provide treatment to patients from South Punjab as well as other provinces, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan.
The chief minister said modern equipment had been installed at the facility and specialist doctors were being appointed. She also mentioned cancer-treatment equipment installed at Lahore’s Mayo Hospital and said a second machine had been provided in Multan.
According to Maryam, two women she met had received treatment using the facility, with each treatment session taking around 45 minutes.
Housing and education initiatives
The chief minister also referred to the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar housing programme, claiming that two million homes had been completed under the initiative and that 125,000 people had moved into their houses.
She further said around 300 Nawaz Sharif Schools of Eminence were being established across Punjab, with thousands of students already enrolled.
On law and order, Maryam said the security situation in Punjab had improved and paid tribute to police and Counter Terrorism Department personnel who had lost their lives in the line of duty.
She also said she had faced warnings about possible legal cases against her but remained undeterred.
Reference to Punjab-KP tensions
The chief minister also referred to a recent confrontation involving Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi during his visit to Lahore.
Maryam alleged that individuals from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had come to Punjab to “attack” the province and claimed that the KP chief minister had forcibly entered a Punjab police vehicle.
She said the visit to Lahore had failed to achieve its intended purpose.
Responding to criticism over the use of the Punjab government’s aircraft, Maryam said the aircraft belonged to the provincial government and not to her personally.
“Maryam Nawaz’s aircraft does not exist; it belongs to the Punjab government,” she said.
Petrol Prices and Inflation
Addressing the impact of rising fuel prices, Maryam attributed the increase in petroleum prices and the resulting inflation to the Iran-US war.
She said she did not want to put an additional burden on citizens because of inflation and highlighted subsidised or free public transport facilities for certain groups as part of efforts to reduce commuting costs.
Concluding her remarks, Maryam said the people of Multan had given her a warm welcome and that their affection would remain in her memory.
“When the green bus is running, think that Nawaz Sharif’s daughter had come,” she said.