LAHORE, JUN 20 /DNA/ – In a landmark step to make essential goods affordable for all, Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has launched a province-wide network of 100 Sahulat Bazaars — dedicated marketplaces offering food and household items at controlled government prices. Aimed at easing the financial burden on families and restoring price stability, the initiative ensures permanent, year-round relief across Punjab. Replacing temporary Ramzan Bazaars with clean, accessible, and regulated shopping spaces in every tehsil, this initiative reflects a shift toward long-term, people-first governance and daily affordability for millions.
Rejecting the outdated practice of spending billions annually on short-term Ramzan Bazaars, this initiative institutionalizes permanent, purpose-built structures in every tehsil of Punjab, offering daily-use essentials at officially notified rates — clean, regulated, dignified marketplaces for everyday public benefit. These Sahulat Bazaars will serve as year-round anchors of relief, not seasonal handouts.
Construction of 13 Sahulat Bazaars is already underway, including in Jaranwala, Pattoki, Sharaqpur, Muzaffargarh, Okara, Khanewal, Narowal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Chunian, Wazirabad, Bhalwal, Noshehra Virkan, Jalalpur (Multan), and Burewala. Rs. 3.4 billion has already been released for these sites, which are expected to be operational by August 2025.
Innovative extensions like “Sahulat On the Go” are also reshaping urban accessibility — with mobile markets launched across 15 hotspots in Lahore, ensuring access to government-priced essentials while discouraging illegal encroachments and informal profiteering. Complementary interventions include free home delivery services, Sahulat Stalls offering below-notified prices, full solarization of operational bazaars, and the upgradation of 36 existing facilities across Punjab.
Heading PSBA, Naveed Rafaqat Ahmad affirmed that the Government of Punjab has prioritized this project with unmatched urgency. “In line with the vision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and under the direct supervision of Chairperson Afzal Khokhar, MNA, all 100 Sahulat Bazaars will be fully functional well before Ramzan. A division-wise execution plan has already been finalized, and construction activities will begin immediately upon land allocation,” he stated.
To fast-track implementation, Secretary PC&CMD, Dr. Ehsan Bhutta, convened a high-level meeting on the Chief Minister’s Special Initiatives, setting strict deadlines for submission of concept papers to the Planning & Development Board to enable early release of development funds. Dr. Bhutta has also personally reached out to Commissioners across Punjab, directing urgent land identification and allocation to remove all bottlenecks and ensure swift ground mobilization.
Institutionalized through legislation, the Punjab Sahulat Bazaars Authority (PSBA) — formerly the Punjab Model Bazaars Management Company — is now operating as a fully autonomous, law-backed public body. With CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s decisive leadership, Chairperson Afzal Khokhar’s oversight, and strategic execution by PSBA, this initiative marks a watershed moment in public service delivery.
The 100 Sahulat Bazaars will stand not only as relief hubs but as symbols of structural reform, people-first governance, and a future where essential goods are accessible, affordable, and delivered with dignity — every single day of the year.
