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SARGODHA, Sep 19 (APP):Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Friday inaugurated a modern electric bus service in Sargodha, calling it a milestone initiative to provide affordable, comfortable, and environment-friendly travel facilities to the public.
The chief minister took a symbolic ride on one of the newly launched buses from Circuit House to the University of Sargodha, where the inaugural ceremony was held.
Addressing the gathering, Maryam Nawaz announced that the Punjab government had allocated 105 electric buses for Sargodha division, of which 60 would soon be available in district Sargodha. Currently, 33 buses have been deployed in the district.
Calling the initiative “a landmark project for Punjab”, she said the service would ensure better mobility for citizens, particularly in medium-sized cities that had long been deprived of modern transportation. “We chose to begin this project from smaller cities like Sargodha rather than starting with big cities. This is unprecedented in Punjab’s history and marks the beginning of a new era of inclusive development,” she said.
The chief minister highlighted that Sargodha, known as the “City of Eagles” and a stronghold of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), had long faced inadequate travel infrastructure. “People were bound to travel on worn-out roads and outdated buses. Now, with the electric bus service, they will have access to safe, modern, and comfortable transport,” she said.
The buses, she added, are equipped with CCTV cameras for passenger safety and have separate compartments for women to ensure a secure and convenient experience.
Maryam Nawaz also spoke about the government’s efforts in the health sector, noting that the Nawaz Sharif Cardiology Hospital in Sargodha had been completed in record time of one year. She said cardiologists had been appointed across Punjab with residential facilities provided to them. The hospital would be formally inaugurated by three-time prime minister and PML-N President Nawaz Sharif next month after his return from abroad, she added.
On the occasion, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari, Provincial Transport Minister Bilal Akbar Khan, other government officials, and a large number of citizens attended the ceremony.