Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday laid the foundation stone of the Mass Transit Bus Service in Gujranwala, calling it a game-changing project that will dramatically improve mobility for students, workers, patients and citizens across the region.
Addressing the ceremony, the prime minister praised the Punjab government’s vision, saying the project is a “heartfelt gift” from Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz that will change the fate of Gujranwala, Pakistan’s fifth-largest city with a population of nearly five million.
Benefits of Mass Transit project
PM Shehbaz said the new mass transit system will link surrounding areas, offering timely access to schools, hospitals and factories.
He congratulated the Punjab chief minister and her team “from the bottom of his heart.”
The Gujranwala Metro Corridor, named the Yellow Line, stretches 31.2km from Aimanabad to Gakhar and includes:
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A signal-free corridor with 4 underpasses
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A cost of Rs63 billion, to be completed in 12 months
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25 green stations, of which 24 are underground
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14MW electricity usage for electric buses
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Two depots on 50 kanals
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Pakistan’s first trackless train (SRT) system
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Wheelchair-accessible features, charging ports, Wi-Fi and CCTV for women
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70 feeder buses collecting passengers from all parts of Gujranwala
Officials say the project will benefit 50,000 people daily, with ridership records from similar projects showing rapid public adoption — Rawalpindi alone saw 35,000–40,000 daily riders on 40 buses.
Shehbaz praises Nawaz Sharif’s legacy of development
The prime minister recalled that Punjab’s development journey began in 1985 under Nawaz Sharif, who introduced the concept of construction-led politics at a time when “only politics was happening, not development.”
He credited Nawaz Sharif with laying a network of roads; building hospitals, including Lahore’s first heart disease hospital; supporting farmers and ordinary citizens; launching development-focused governance from the 1988 elections onward.
PM Shehbaz said Nawaz Sharif’s “biggest achievement” was making Pakistan a nuclear power, which, he added, significantly altered the strategic reality during the May conflict.
He said Nawaz Sharif’s legacy continues in the form of Maryam Nawaz, describing her as young, hardworking and committed to serving the people with “honesty and integrity.”
‘Maryam Nawaz’s performance is undeniable’
Shehbaz Sharif said Maryam Nawaz’s initiatives, including Suthra Punjab, housing for the homeless, and major environmental improvements, reflect her ability to deliver real change. He noted that Lahore was once among the most polluted cities in the world, but pollution has drastically reduced due to her efforts.
He said even the opposition “will eventually have to acknowledge her performance because the truth cannot be hidden.”
The prime minister added that recent by-election results reflect the government’s tireless work and vowed that under Nawaz Sharif’s leadership, the entire PML-N team will work “day and night” to deliver progress before the next general elections.
Shehbaz Sharif declared that the PML-N’s slogan will echo across the country and that when the party returns to power, “a revolution will come.”
He said the successful completion of projects in Punjab -- especially in transport, infrastructure, and public welfare -- will serve as models for other provinces.
Maryam targets KP govt over governance failures
Addressing the ceremony, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz sharply criticized the performance of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. She said Pakistan’s economy is emerging stronger from the threat of default.
"Those who wanted default have been proven wrong. KP’s 12-year performance is zero, with roads in ruins, schools neglected and hospitals under-served," she asserted.
Maryam said the current KP chief minister “sits outside Adiala Jail with the entire machinery” instead of focusing on governance. The previous KP CM spent his time attacking Punjab rather than developing his own province.
She said KP resembles “ruins and ancient monuments” due to prolonged misgovernance, but reminded that KP is also “a part of our country” and deserving of better leadership. She added that the people of KP gave their verdict on November 23, voting in favor of PML-N and rejecting the “politics of lies.”
She further highlighted that the 'Suthra Punjab' program has become the world’s largest cleanliness project, praised even by Forbes. The program’s heroes collected 50,000 tons of garbage, with each district equipped with its own machinery.
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A new sewage system is also being introduced across Punjab.
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One lakh houses are under construction under Apni Chhat Apna Ghar.
