New cardiac centre in Murree offers residents lifesaving care close to home | The Express Tribune

Residents of Murree, suffering from heart ailments, will no longer need to travel to Rawalpindi for treatment, as a cardiac facility was inaugurated on Wednesday where cardiac surgeries and bypass procedures will soon be performed.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz inaugurated the Nawaz Sharif Cardiac Centre at the Mohammad Hussain Samli Sanatorium-cum-General Hospital in Murree. She also announced that cardiac surgeries and bypass procedures would commence at the facility in the near future.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, the chief minister highlighted that a major redevelopment of Murree’s historic Mall Road is currently underway, involving a multi-billion-rupee investment. The project includes the development of a Biodiversity Park, Wildlife Park, Bansra Gali, PIA Park, and Karshee Park, all aimed at enhancing the region’s environmental and recreational offerings.

She further disclosed plans for the imminent launch of the Glass Train/Automated Rail Transit (ART) system and the establishment of a 100-bed hospital in Kotli Sattian, as part of broader tourism and infrastructure development initiatives.

Maryam announced that shuttle bus services would soon be operational between central Murree and the Samli Hospital, which had long suffered from neglect. Noting the lack of local cardiac care facilities, she remarked that patients with heart-related ailments were previously compelled to travel to Rawalpindi—a considerable hardship, particularly given the time-sensitive nature of such emergencies.

“To bridge this critical gap, we have now ensured the availability of quality cardiac care within Murree,” she affirmed.

The provincial chief executive praised the swift and efficient construction of the Nawaz Sharif Cardiac Centre, staffed with qualified doctors and trained personnel, and stocked with an ample supply of essential cardiac medicines.

She drew attention to the contrast between the serenity enjoyed by tourists in Murree and the lack of basic medical services historically endured by local residents. “We promised the people of Murree that they would no longer need to leave their city for medical care — and we have delivered on that promise,” she said.

Maryam announced that her government had now fully devolved key departments — including policing, traffic management, health, education, and tourism — to Murree’s local administration.

She noted that an unprecedented number of roads had been constructed in Murree over the past eight months. In contrast, she strongly criticised previous administrations for allowing unchecked deforestation, illegal timber trade, and unregulated construction, which had resulted in the degradation of the area’s natural beauty.

“Our government has taken firm action against unauthorised structures and will not permit land grabbers or profiteers to deface Murree’s landscape,” she vowed.

She also announced the upcoming introduction of electric buses, offering free transport to students, women, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities, further enhancing accessibility and eco-friendly mobility in the region.

Turning to health infrastructure elsewhere in Punjab, she highlighted the accelerated progress on the Nawaz Sharif Cancer Hospital in Lahore, and revealed that the Sahiwal Division, which previously lacked a single public cardiac hospital, now has a fully operational cardiology centre.