LAHORE (Bureau Report)
Punjab’s first-ever and unique “Sahulat On-The-Go Bazaar” has emerged as a major public attraction, offering affordable essential commodities while ensuring dignified livelihoods for street vendors. Launched on the directives of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the initiative aims to provide quality goods at government-approved rates and transform street vending into a structured and respectable business model.
Under the project, more than 400 stalls have been allotted to vendors through an open balloting process. In the first phase, Sahulat On-The-Go Bazaars have been made operational at 10 locations in Lahore, including Gulshan Ravi, Shadman, Madar-e-Millat, Madina Market, Township, Sunder Road, Kotha Pind, and Faisal Town. Additional markets in Khark Nala, Awan Town, Valencia, and Shahdara have also become functional.
At these bazaars, fruits, vegetables, chicken, and grocery items are available at DC-approved rates. The markets are equipped with proper security arrangements, clean washrooms, and an efficient sanitation system. A drive-through shopping facility has also been introduced to enhance convenience for customers. By February, five more Sahulat On-The-Go Bazaars are expected to be launched across Lahore, while projects in Barki, Sadar, Nishtar Town, Raiwind Phase II, Faisal Town, Moon Market, and Ferozewala are nearing completion.
Vendors expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, stating that they are no longer roadside hawkers but rightful shop owners. They appreciated the government’s decision to organize street vending into a dignified system rather than removing them from the streets.
The Sahulat On-The-Go Bazaar initiative will ensure that low-cost goods, usually available only during Ramadan Bazaars, remain accessible throughout the year. Addressing the initiative, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said the project reflects Quaid Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’s vision of a clean and beautiful Lahore. She emphasized that true development is one that benefits hardworking and underprivileged citizens and announced plans to expand similar projects across Lahore and the rest of Punjab.
She added that street vendors who once worked under the open sky now have proper shelter and stable businesses, praising the efforts of the Punjab Sahulat Bazaar Authority. The Authority’s chairman noted that the project would also reduce the need for heavy subsidies during Ramadan Bazaars.