LAHORE: The Punjab government has denied reports that the Jinnah Institute of Cardiology has been renamed after Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, following widespread public outrage and political criticism on social media.
Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb took to her official X (formerly Twitter) account to clarify the situation.
“There has been no decision to rename Jinnah Institute of Cardiology. No such proposal is under consideration. The news being circulated is baseless and fabricated,” she stated.
The controversy began after a document, later declared fake, surfaced online, claiming that the under-construction cardiology facility would be renamed “Maryam Nawaz Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases”.
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Despite official denials, Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique confirmed in a media talk that the Board of Governors had recommended a new name, as the facility had gained autonomous status and was no longer an extension of Jinnah Hospital.
However, the lack of an official notification and conflicting statements from government officials have led to confusion and sparked political criticism.
Former federal minister and PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry sharply criticised the alleged move, posting on social media:
“Obviously, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah is not as big a leader as Maryam Nawaz. Shame, shame, shame.” Other opposition figures, including Monis Elahi and Imtiaz Shaikh, also slammed the idea of removing Jinnah’s name from a public healthcare institution, calling it a disgraceful example of political branding