LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to launch a province-wide mass birth registration campaign to ensure universal registration, particularly in remote and underserved areas.
The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique here on Saturday, which was attended by Special Secretary Local Government Arshad Baig, while Local Government Director General Ahmed Kamal Mann briefed participants on departmental performance and ongoing initiatives. Matters relating to capacity building and institutional reforms within the local government department were also discussed.
While addressing the meeting, the Minister said that, alongside the mass registration drive, a comprehensive awareness campaign would be launched to promote e-registration. He noted that Pakistan’s first e-registration mobile application has been introduced in collaboration with NADRA, enabling citizens to avail birth registration services online with ease.
The provincial minister directed the Local Government Director General to expedite appointments against vacant posts and ensure timely departmental promotions. He further announced that union councils across Punjab will be transformed into service centres to improve service delivery.
To enhance transparency and efficiency, he instructed that fee schedules must be prominently displayed in all union councils. He highlighted that GPS-based attendance of union council secretaries has already been initiated, adding that the next phase should include a review of CCTV camera installation in union council offices.
He also directed that a staff movement register should be maintained in every union council and that contact numbers of visiting citizens should be recorded to improve follow-up and accountability. He emphasised that the assistant directors must conduct regular visits to union councils within their jurisdictions and hold open courts to directly hear and address citizens’ complaints.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening local governance structures and ensuring accessible, transparent, and citizen-friendly public services across Punjab.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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