LAHORE: Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique has said that ‘Suthra Punjab’ programme is only the beginning, and that the initiative was now moving into its next phase, the ‘waste-to-value’.
While addressing a press conference on Tuesday, the Minister said under the waste-to-value phase, measures have been introduced to generate by-products through waste segregation. “Under this effort, 50,000 tons of waste collected daily across Punjab will be effectively utilised,” he added.
Talking about the Suthra Punjab programme, he said that, launched under a public-private partnership model, it has already received three ISO certifications, and the system is fully AI-based and digitised. “The international recognition received by the Suthra Punjab programme has enhanced Pakistan’s global reputation,” he added.
He said the provincial government is particularly encouraged by the way the international magazine Forbes highlighted the effectiveness of Suthra Punjab in its recent report. He noted that Forbes described it as the world’s largest sanitation system, being run under a single government, delivering quality sanitation services to 25,000 villages and more than 130 million people. He added that according to the magazine, countries from Jakarta to Nairobi are studying Punjab’s model to learn from its successes.
“Millions of families have since benefited from direct and indirect employment opportunities created by the Suthra Punjab programme, and a new local sanitation industry, comparable to those in developed countries, has rapidly emerged. “By the grace of Allah, Punjab has become a leader within just eight months,” he remarked.
He noted that while international media is now praising Punjab’s transformation, the situation was entirely different during the previous administration. He recalled that Gulf News had strongly criticised the poor sanitation conditions under the Buzdar government, reporting that Lahore was overwhelmed by garbage.
Responding to questions, he said the demarcation process for local government elections is in progress, and polls will be held as soon as directions are received from the Election Commission. He added that strict action is being taken wherever performance is unsatisfactory, with a zero-tolerance policy in place.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025