LAHORE: Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique has said that in the first phase of the Punjab Development Program (PDP), the tendering process has been completed for 51 out of 52 cities, while practical work has started in most of the cities.
He made these remarks while chairing the PDP review meeting here on Wednesday. Punjab Local Government Secretary Shakeel Ahmed Mian and Additional Secretary Ahmer Sohail Kaifi and Project Director Brigadier (R) Asad Mahmood were also present.
While expressing satisfaction over the current pace of work on PDP and directed the officials to maintain the set timeline at every stage and urged the Commissioners to ensure provision of land for underground tanks and waste water treatment plants. He also directed the administrative officers to visit the project sites regularly.
He added that 19 resident and six assistant resident engineers have been appointed in different cities. Similarly, 41 inspectors have also been appointed, while field offices of Assistant Project Directors have been established. Moreover, the supervision staff of Programme Management Unit (PMU) and consultant firm NESPAK have also been deployed,’ he added.
He also said that the Municipal Officer Infrastructure (MOI) has an important role in this project, so all MOIs should update the progress report on the central dashboard and ensure implementation of the instructions.
He observed that without a sewage system, most cities are in poor condition; in these circumstances, it was very important to implement a mega project like PDP. He averred that the ‘Maryam Nawaz Ka Sohna Punjab’ programme will change the fate of cities, as master planning was done keeping in mind the needs of the population for the next 25 years. He expressed his determination that the Punjab Local Government Department will ensure the achievement of the targets set by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
Meanwhile, the Minister also chaired a meeting of the Sub-Committee of Cabinet on Legislative Business and Privatisation (SCCLB&P); Additional Chief Secretary Ahmed Raza Sarwar and concerned secretaries attended the meeting. Agenda items related to agriculture, housing and urban development, public prosecution, labour, food security, higher education, school education and energy departments were considered during the meeting.
The Committee forwarded the matter of signing three memorandum f understanding in the agriculture sector between the Punjab government and China to the cabinet, and amendments to the laws prohibiting child labour and employees’ social security were also brought under consideration.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026