CM Maryam launches 100 Sahulat Bazaars across Punjab in Rs10bn bid to curb inflation
LAHORE – Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has announced the establishment of 100 new Sahulat Bazaars across the province — a historic intervention to combat inflation, restore price stability, and provide year-round relief to millions of citizens.
Declared a Special Chief Minister’s Initiative in the FY 2025–26 Budget, the project carries a massive Rs. 10 billion allocations, making it one of the largest targeted public welfare programs in Punjab’s history.
Rejecting the outdated practice of spending billions annually on short-term Ramzan Bazaars, this initiative institutionalizes permanent, purpose-built structures in every tehsil of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.
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 Ramazan. 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.