Social media was abuzz with speculation after a purported notification from the Punjab Health Department went viral, claiming that the Jinnah Institute of Cardiology in Lahore had been renamed the “Maryam Nawaz Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases Lahore.”
The notification, which has since been debunked, stated that the name of the under-construction hospital had been changed to honor Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
However, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari swiftly refuted the claims, stating in a tweet that the notification was fake and that there were no plans to rename the hospital.
Bokhari added that the notifcation being circulated was fake and no hospital was being renamed.
It is worth noting that the caretaker government had previously named the under-construction project the “Jinnah Institute of Cardiology,” also known as the “Jinnah Hospital.”
The viral notification sparked widespread debate and criticism, with many accusing the government of attempting to politicize healthcare institutions. The swift denial from the government, however, has quelled the controversy, at least for now.