Punjab Province

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
The Punjab government has decided to expand the scope of the Suthra Punjab Programme to cooperative and private housing societies, bringing privately managed residential schemes across the province under a broader sanitation and waste collection framework.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif issued the directives while chairing a special review meeting on the Suthra Punjab Programme, instructing authorities to ensure that cooperative and private housing societies are also included in the provincial cleanliness system.
The chief minister directed officials to ensure door to door waste collection in residential areas, stressing that cleanliness must not remain limited to main roads and should also cover streets and neighbourhoods. She also ordered the removal of garbage from vacant plots in different areas.
The Punjab government has further directed Additional Deputy Commissioners for Social Services across the province to monitor sanitation conditions. Authorities have also been instructed to provide the required workforce and mechanical equipment in line with local needs.
Maryam Nawaz also called for the formulation of clear standard operating procedures to assess performance at every level of the Suthra Punjab Programme, from sanitation workers to senior officials, with the aim of maintaining consistent cleanliness standards and strengthening accountability.
With the latest decision, the Suthra Punjab Programme will no longer remain confined to general urban areas, as cooperative and private housing societies will also come under its operational scope.
The chief minister has convened another review meeting after seven days to assess implementation of the directives.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
The Punjab government has ordered a province wide survey of unsafe and deteriorating buildings immediately after the monsoon season, as authorities move to identify structures that could pose risks to residents and strengthen urban safety measures across the province.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz issued the directive while chairing a meeting to review progress on Phase-I of the Punjab Development Programme (PDP). Deputy commissioners from across Punjab participated in the meeting through video link and briefed the chief minister on development activities in their respective districts.
The proposed survey will focus on identifying buildings considered structurally unsafe or in a deteriorating condition following the monsoon season. The exercise is expected to provide authorities with a clearer assessment of potentially hazardous structures and help determine where remedial measures or further technical inspections may be required.
During the meeting, the chief minister also directed officials to accelerate the completion of development schemes being implemented under Phase-I of the Punjab Development Programme.
She sought an impact study of sewerage and drainage projects completed under the programme to evaluate whether the schemes have effectively improved urban drainage and reduced problems associated with rainwater accumulation and flooding.
Maryam Nawaz further instructed authorities to prepare a comprehensive case study of Phase-I of the PDP and compile feedback from residents to assess the effectiveness of development interventions and their impact on local communities.
The chief minister reviewed ongoing PDP schemes in Vehari, Burewala, Tandlianwala, Jaranwala, Jalalpur Jattan, Sambrial, Muridke, Khudian, Kabirwala, Chak Jhumra, Bhalwal, Attock, Kamalia, Toba Tek Singh, Gojra, Ali Pur Chattha, Chichawatni, Daska, Layyah, Sillanwali, Wazirabad, Bahawalnagar and Mailsi.
Officials also presented progress reports on development projects underway in Sahiwal, Faisalabad, Multan, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Rawalpindi and Sialkot.
The meeting was informed that underground water storage tanks have become fully operational in 29 cities across Punjab, while construction of similar facilities is continuing in another 21 cities.
These facilities form part of the province's broader efforts to strengthen urban drainage infrastructure and improve management of rainwater during periods of heavy rainfall.
The chief minister said recently installed sewerage systems had significantly improved drainage conditions in several cities, highlighting the role of upgraded infrastructure in reducing water accumulation during the monsoon.
She also acknowledged the performance of deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners, Water and Sanitation Agency officials and Suthra Punjab teams during the rainy season.
Maryam Nawaz appreciated officers and field staff who worked around the clock to facilitate residents and manage monsoon-related challenges.
The post-monsoon building survey, combined with assessments of drainage and sewerage projects, is expected to give the provincial government a broader picture of infrastructure vulnerabilities and the effectiveness of recently completed development schemes across Punjab.

Lahore : ReNews Pakistan
The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has decided to make LDA City a key focus of development activity during the current fiscal year, with plans to accelerate ongoing works and bring commercial and residential plots to the market in the near future.
The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by LDA Director General Tahir Farooq, where officials reviewed matters related to town planning, auctions, engineering, financial planning and development priorities in LDA City.
During the meeting, Tahir Farooq said that development activity during the current fiscal year would place particular emphasis on LDA City. He directed the relevant officials to further accelerate the pace of ongoing development works in the scheme.
The meeting was informed that commercial and residential plots in LDA City would soon be offered to the market and that the concerned departments were taking necessary measures in this regard.
The Director Auction briefed the meeting on the upcoming balloting process and said that commercial plots in LDA Avenue One and LDA City Business Bay had been included in the next ballot. Five-marla residential plots in Johar Town have also been included.
Citizens can submit applications to participate in the balloting until September 2, 2026. The meeting also reviewed the LDA’s auction calendar for the current fiscal year and plans for upcoming auctions.
The LDA director general also directed officials to develop an effective governance model for improving the provision of basic civic services in LDA Avenue One, Jubilee Town and LDA Enclave.
The proposed governance framework is aimed at strengthening service delivery and improving administrative arrangements in LDA housing schemes.
The Town Planning Section briefed the meeting on revenue targets and progress made under the ongoing recovery campaign. Farooq directed the Town Planning Wing to intensify its drive against illegal construction and unauthorised commercialisation to ensure more effective enforcement of building and land-use regulations across the city.
He also instructed officials to ensure strict compliance with relevant standard operating procedures during construction activities in the monsoon season so that development works can continue safely during rainfall and inconvenience to the public can be minimised.
The LDA chief further directed the authorities to initiate development works in other LDA schemes during the current fiscal year under a sustainable development model, with greater focus on improving basic infrastructure and civic amenities.
Director Finance Kashif Imran briefed the meeting on planning for the proposed budget for the next fiscal year, while officials from the engineering, town planning and auction wings presented updates on their targets, ongoing projects and future initiatives.
The meeting was attended by the Additional Director General Headquarters, Chief Town Planner-I, Director Auction, Director Finance, Director Engineering and other senior LDA officials.