Senior Punjab Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Tuesday dispelled growing speculation about the renaming of the Jinnah Institute of Cardiology (JIC) in Lahore after Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, following public uproar and social media backlash.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Aurangzeb wrote, “The name ‘Jinnah Institute of Cardiology Lahore’ remains unchanged and no renaming is under consideration.” She added that the Punjab government’s Annual Development Programme for FY2025-26 includes funding for the hospital under its existing name.
The confusion arose after Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, during a Punjab Assembly session on Saturday, referred to a nearing-completion project as “The Maryam Nawaz Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases,” calling it an extension of the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC). Images of the project were also shown during her address.
Further adding to the ambiguity, Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique stated that the new hospital was named “Maryam Nawaz Institute of Cardiac” based on a resolution passed by the Board of Governors (BoG) of Jinnah Hospital.
Aurangzeb clarified that this did not amount to renaming an existing hospital. “Fourteen new hospitals will be established in the Nawaz Sharif Medical District for world-class advanced treatment of heart diseases and other ailments,” she added. The master planning for these hospitals is in its final stages.
She urged media outlets and journalists to verify facts before reporting, stating, “It is requested to report the news after verifying the facts.”
