Punjab CM approves free mortuary van service

LAHORE: Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the Chief Minister of Punjab, on Monday approved the launch of a free ambulance and mortuary van service to transport deceased persons from hospitals to their homes.

The decision was made during a meeting chaired by the chief minister to review government and private ambulance services across the province.

During the meeting, approval was granted to start a dedicated vehicle service for transporting bodies from major public hospitals as well as in every tehsil of Punjab.

The chief minister also sought a comprehensive plan to operationalise the service.

It was also decided to regularise private ambulance services operating in the province. A proposal to fix standard rates for private ambulance services was also reviewed.

Under the new initiative, at least one mortuary van will be available in every tehsil to transport deceased individuals from hospitals to their homes.

Bereaved families will be able to access the free van service either by calling Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) or through hospital counters.

The service will be monitored through a smart management system to ensure transparency and efficiency.

Additionally, the facility will also provide free transportation of deceased individuals from one city to another within Punjab.

Earlier, criticising the provincial government’s spending priorities, Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman, chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, said Punjab Chief Minister has purchased an aircraft worth Rs11 billion, while poverty in the province has increased by 31 percent.

Addressing a gathering, Hafiz Naeem alleged that instead of focusing on real development, public money collected through taxes is being spent on advertisements.

“There is no real development in Punjab; advertisements are being run with taxpayers’ money,” he said.

The Jamaat-e-Islami chief claimed that poverty has increased the most in Punjab, adding that nearly 10 million children in the province are still out of school.