LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has approved expansive reforms under the ‘Suthra Punjab’ programme during a high-level review meeting aimed at modernizing the province’s sanitation infrastructure.
The plan includes introducing electric sanitation vehicles, launching a Waste-to-Value initiative, integrating digital transparency systems, and enforcing strict penalties to curb littering. Authorities were directed to roll out the Waste-to-Value implementation plan by mid-January, with officials noting that legal action against littering will follow a 15-day monitoring period.
In a separate development, President PML-N Muhammad Nawaz Sharif chaired a special meeting that approved the Gujranwala Mass Transit Project. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif attended the session.
Nawaz Sharif termed the project a long-overdue right of the people of Gujranwala and expressed satisfaction over the Punjab government’s ongoing development initiatives.
Meanwhile, the Punjab government has formed a 15-member steering committee to eradicate forced child labour across the province. Chaired by Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, with former MNA Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha as Co-Chairman, the committee includes provincial ministers, departmental secretaries, Chairman PITB and DIG Police.
It will map sectors where forced child labour exists, gather data from key industries, and establish an AI- and GIS-enabled central data bank. The committee will also propose alternatives for affected children and develop short-, medium-, and long-term strategies. Punjab’s comprehensive measures are expected to significantly enhance its global ranking in child protection.