Punjab water, sanitation project: Euro 12m grant pact inked with AFD

ISLAMABAD: The government of Pakistan and French Development Agency (AFD) have signed a grant agreement worth euro 12 million for a project aimed at strengthening water and sanitation service delivery across selected urban areas in Punjab.

The agreement was signed by Kazim Niaz, secretary Ministry of Economic Affairs, and Nicolas Galey, the ambassador of France to Pakistan and Vincent Thevenot, director of AFD in Pakistan.

This is a European Union grant which will be administered by AFD.

Punjab budget: $428.54m foreign-funded uplift projects included

The signing ceremony was attended by representatives of the European Union and the government of Punjab.

The transformative initiative is designed to improve the governance, operational performance, and service quality of Water and Sanitation Agencies (WASA) Lahore and Faisalabad by focusing on three core areas.

At the provincial level, it will develop and implement regulatory frameworks to strengthen the oversight role of the Housing, Urban Development & Public Health Engineering Department (HUD&PHED).

At the utility level, modern technologies, systems, and business processes will be introduced to enhance operations, service delivery, and financial sustainability. Additionally, the project will support equipment procurement and digitisation to enable data-driven and transparent decision-making within WASA.

An official statement noted that the project marks a significant step forward in Pakistan’s efforts to enhance urban water and sanitation infrastructure and improve public service delivery.

It also reflects the government’s commitment to building strong partnerships with international development partners to address urban development challenges and promote sustainable growth.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025