Punjab budget prioritizes welfare, health, development : Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday said the provincial government had presented its most challenging budget so far, maintaining a strong focus on public welfare, health, education and infrastructure development despite significant financial constraints

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Jun, 2026) Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday said the provincial government had presented its most challenging budget so far, maintaining a strong focus on public welfare, health, education and infrastructure development despite significant financial constraints.

Addressing a meeting of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) parliamentary party at the Punjab Assembly, the chief minister thanked lawmakers for their support and warm reception, saying she was delighted to meet members of the parliamentary party and remained available to serve them at all times.

CM Maryam Nawaz said Punjab had provided a grant of Rs546 billion to the Federal government, yet the provincial budget for fiscal year 2026-27 continued to prioritize social sector development and public welfare initiatives. She said free medicines worth Rs80 billion were being provided to people across the province.

Highlighting key development projects, she said metro bus systems were under construction in Gujranwala and Faisalabad, while the Nawaz Sharif Cancer Hospital was nearing completion. She added that cardiac catheterisation laboratories (Cath Labs) were being established in 20 districts and most of them had already become operational.

The CM said the provincial administration had effectively managed the recent floods without seeking external assistance.

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She said flood victims were rescued, accommodated for over a month and provided with a historic rehabilitation package.

Despite difficult economic conditions, she said, allocations for the education and health sectors had not been reduced. “Public money is meant solely for the welfare of the people,” she remarked, adding that development schemes were being implemented across Punjab without discrimination.

CM Maryam Nawaz said road construction projects covering 30,000 kilometres and the Green Electric Bus programme were being executed throughout the province. For the first time, she added, development initiatives were being carried out uniformly across all districts, ensuring equal benefits for citizens.

Earlier, the chief minister received a warm welcome from PML-N parliamentary party members upon her arrival at the Punjab Assembly to attend the parliamentary party meeting and participate in the budget session for the fiscal year 2026-27. Lawmakers paid tribute to her for presenting what they described as a people-centric budget focused on public welfare and service delivery.

She also thanked party members for their continued support and confidence in her leadership.