Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif inaugurated the WASA Punjab Sewerage Fleet Phase-I in Lahore, marking a major step towards her vision of a clean and well-managed Punjab.
For the first time in the province’s history, WASA services have been established across 41 districts to improve drainage and sanitation systems at the grassroots level.
During the ceremony, CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif inspected sewer jetting machines, sewer suction machines, and other operational vehicles, and handed over the keys of sewerage vehicles to Provincial Minister for Housing Bilal Yasin.
She appreciated the drivers and operational staff for their dedication and urged them to continue serving the public with commitment, while also commending Minister Bilal Yasin, Secretary Housing Noor-ul-Amin Mengal, and their team for making WASA Punjab functional.
According to the briefing, in Phase-I, 552 vehicles and machines are being provided across 15 districts, including Jhelum, Gujrat, Okara, Hafizabad, Sialkot, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Jhang, Sahiwal, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Multan, and Dera Ghazi Khan.
The fleet includes modern machinery such as sewer suction units, jetting machines, desilting machines, water bowsers, dewatering pumps, dumpers, truck cranes, and loader rickshaws.
In the next phase, 937 additional sewerage machines and vehicles will be provided to 22 districts.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif stated that, for the first time, sewerage services and operations are being initiated at the district level, ensuring timely response during heavy rains and floods. She emphasized that the provision of modern machinery will not only improve environmental conditions but also provide significant relief to the public.
Reaffirming her commitment, she stated that all necessary drainage arrangements will be ensured before the monsoon season and that the promise of establishing WASA across Punjab has been fulfilled, with public convenience and service delivery remaining the government’s top priority.
Separately, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Thursday reaffirmed her government’s commitment to expanding quality healthcare services and ensuring that life-saving treatments are accessible to all segments of society without any financial burden.
She expressed these views while chairing a special meeting to review the progress of health service delivery projects across the province. The Chief Minister stated that these initiatives have brought new hope to thousands of patients and directed authorities to further enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of all health programs to improve public service delivery.
During the briefing, it was revealed that under the CM Punjab Children’s Heart Surgery Program, 16,625 patients have been registered, while 11,466 children have successfully undergone heart surgeries in record time and returned home healthy. Of these, 7,664 surgeries and procedures were carried out in public hospitals, while 3,802 children received treatment in private hospitals at government expense.
The meeting was also informed that under the CM Special Initiative for Transplant Program, 2,001 patients have been registered, with 1,574 successful transplant procedures completed. These include 255 free liver transplants, each costing approximately Rs. 6.5 million borne by the Punjab government, 799 kidney transplants, 460 cochlear transplants, 32 corneal transplants, and 28 bone marrow transplants, all provided free of cost.
Additionally, under the CM Special Initiative for Dialysis Program, 38,125 patients have been registered, with over 1.5 million dialysis procedures performed so far. A report on the free medicine project was also presented during the meeting.
CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif reiterated that the government is determined to strengthen the healthcare system and ensure that no patient is deprived of essential treatment due to financial constraints.