TODAY’S PAPER | October 08, 2025 | EPAPER

Punjab replicates PSBA’s success in new welfare initiatives

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Azeem July 10, 2025 1 min read
A woman checks fruit at a Ramazan Bazaar. PHOTO: EXPRESS

When the Punjab Sahulat Bazaars Authority (PSBA) launched its free home delivery of essentials, many considered it an ambitious idea.

Under the leadership of Naveed Rafaqat, however, the initiative was not only implemented but also proven—operating successfully for over a year and reaching thousands of households without subsidy.

Today, that same concept has become the blueprint for Punjab’s latest flagship welfare projects: Maryam Ki Dastak and the Free Medicine Delivery Bikes programme.

Maryam Ki Dastak, led by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, delivers government services directly to citizens’ doorsteps—turning PSBA’s “government-to-home” philosophy into a governance revolution. Citizens no longer need to stand in queues; essential services now arrive at their homes, reflecting PSBA’s citizen-first model.

Similarly, the Free Medicine Delivery Bikes programme under the Punjab Health Department brings life-saving medicines to patients at their doorsteps. Its delivery design and logistics are modelled directly on PSBA’s successful free home delivery service, ensuring continuity, access, and dignity for the most vulnerable.

One year on, PSBA’s success has been formally endorsed, replicated, and expanded across departments. From bazaars to homes, Naveed’s innovation is now shaping the future of welfare governance in Punjab.

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