Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has criticized her political opponents without naming them, saying that one political party is characterized by disorder and confrontation, while another uses the name of “the system” to justify corruption.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the Jinnah Institute of Cardiology in Lahore, Maryam Nawaz said that political parties should focus on serving the public, improving governance and delivering results rather than concentrating all their attention on the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
She said, “One political party has a temperament of riots and disorder, while another has corruption in the name of the system.” She added that if these parties were working in the same way as the PML-N, the country would be making greater progress today.
Without directly identifying her political opponents, the Punjab chief minister contrasted their alleged approach with what she described as the PML-N’s focus on public service and development.
According to Maryam Nawaz, political parties should concentrate on public service, delivery and performance rather than remaining focused on the PML-N.
She said the PML-N’s political approach was based on service and development. A government that fails to deliver the rights and services of citizens to their doorsteps, she argued, should be considered unsuccessful.
New Cardiology and Healthcare Initiatives
During her address, Maryam Nawaz announced the opening of the Jinnah Institute of Cardiology and said the facility had become operational.
She said patients from across Pakistan would be able to come to the institute for treatment, describing the project as an important addition to Punjab’s healthcare infrastructure.
The chief minister also announced the establishment of Pakistan’s first heart transplant centre at the institute.
In addition, she announced the beginning of work on a home dialysis programme in Punjab, aimed at providing dialysis services to patients at home.
Maryam Nawaz said the government’s responsibility was not limited to announcing healthcare projects but also included ensuring that citizens actually received services.
She said that people in positions of authority had been given the opportunity to serve the public and that making decisions for public welfare on a daily basis was her responsibility.
Free Treatment and Medicines
The Punjab chief minister also highlighted the government’s healthcare initiatives, saying that people in the province were receiving not only free medical treatment but also free medicines.
However, she acknowledged that problems still existed within government hospitals.
Maryam Nawaz said she was aware of complaints that patients were being charged money at some government hospitals. She said efforts were underway to improve the hospital system and address such practices.
Her comments suggest that the provincial government is seeking to combine the expansion of healthcare infrastructure with tighter oversight of public hospitals.
She emphasized that healthcare services should reach ordinary citizens without creating additional financial burdens for patients.
Political Message
Although the main focus of the event was healthcare development, Maryam Nawaz also used the occasion to deliver a political message to her opponents.
Her criticism appeared to target different political approaches without explicitly naming any party. She contrasted what she described as confrontation and corruption with the PML-N’s claimed focus on development and public service.
The chief minister argued that political parties should compete on their performance and ability to deliver services rather than concentrating on political attacks.
She said the ultimate measure of a government should be whether it can provide citizens with their basic rights and services at their doorstep.
The remarks come amid continued political competition in Punjab, where the PML-N government faces criticism from opposition parties over governance and political policies.
Maryam Nawaz’s comments therefore combined criticism of rival political parties with an emphasis on her government’s healthcare initiatives.
The inauguration of the Jinnah Institute of Cardiology, the announcement of a heart transplant centre and the proposed home dialysis programme form part of the Punjab government’s effort to expand specialized medical services.
At the same time, her acknowledgment of complaints about patients being charged at government hospitals highlights the challenges involved in ensuring that publicly funded healthcare reaches citizens as intended.
For now, Maryam Nawaz’s central message was that political parties should focus on service delivery and performance, while she presented the PML-N as a party whose stated priorities are development and public welfare.
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