Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif formally launched the province’s first Community Health Inspectors programme at a large ceremony held at the Punjab Hockey Stadium, marking a major step towards strengthening grassroots-level public health services.
More than 55,000 community health inspectors from across the province attended the event. Upon the Chief Minister’s arrival at the stadium, participants greeted her with enthusiastic chants, to which she responded by waving in appreciation.
The chief minister inaugurated the programme digitally and walked around the stadium track, stopping in front of each enclosure to acknowledge and encourage the inspectors representing different districts. She also completed a full round of the track to personally welcome the participants.
During the ceremony, the Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif took a photograph on her mobile phone of a young girl holding a portrait of Pakistan Muslim League (N) Quaid Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. A marching contingent of community health inspectors, accompanied by a band, presented a formal salute to the Chief Minister.
Ahead of her address, a fireworks display lit up the sky, while a documentary highlighting the objectives and scope of the Community Health Inspectors project was screened for the audience.
Provincial Minister for Health and Population Welfare Khawaja Imran Nazir, in his address, praised the chief minister’s performance, stating that her governance set a benchmark unmatched by any other chief executive of the province.
In her speech, the Chief Minister Punjab commended the provincial health minister, the secretary health and the entire team for their efforts in launching the initiative. The stadium echoed with applause throughout her address.
As the ceremony concluded, community health inspectors switched on their mobile phone lights to welcome guests, creating a striking visual display and reflecting the participants’ enthusiasm for the newly launched programme.
Separately, Nawaz Sharif met a delegation of the UAE-based Damac Group, led by CEO Amira Hussain Sajwani and MD Ali Hussain Sajwani, and invited the company to explore investment opportunities in the province.
During the meeting, both sides agreed to accelerate digital asset management of government and commercial assets and reviewed a proposal for pilot digital asset management of commercial assets in Nawaz Sharif IT City.
The Damac Group delegation thanked the Chief Minister for the warm reception and expressed keen interest in investing in Punjab.
CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif welcomed the province’s adoption of emerging technologies and innovation in digital assets, noting that foreign direct investment in technology and digital platforms is positioning Pakistan as a gateway for global investment.
The CM said that Punjab is Pakistan’s largest IT and digital economy, contributing 65 percent of national IT exports, and produces over 25,000 IT graduates annually. She added that Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan and Gujranwala are emerging as vibrant technology and innovation hubs, underscoring the province’s potential to become a global center for IT and digital innovation.
CM Maryam Nawaz said the present moment offers the best opportunities for investment in Punjab, describing it as a land of vast prospects for youth.
Central Business District (CBD) Punjab CEO Imran Amin briefed the delegation on various ongoing projects, including the CBD Quaid District master plan, the Sirius Tower, a five-star hospitality tower, a hyper retail mall and other developments. He also highlighted multiple opportunities for tokenisation within CBD Punjab and the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA). The briefing noted that CBD Punjab and the Nawaz Sharif IT City were playing an increasingly pivotal role in driving Punjab’s economic growth through innovation-led development.