LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has initiated a pilot project to make Lahore a leading eco-friendly city. On Tuesday, she visited LDA Avenue-1 to launch the project and inaugurated the 87-kanal LDA Avenue-1 Central Park by planting a sapling. LDA DG Tahir Farooq provided details on the Central Park Project and other related issues.
Maryam Nawaz emphasized creating natural business clusters in every city in Punjab during a meeting with businessmen. She mentioned that all necessary facilities and concessions would be provided for establishing the Pharma Industrial Zone and the first international-level fish market in Lahore. She also expressed her intent to include businessmen in policy-making to promote business activities in the province.
During the meeting, industrialists raised concerns about law and order issues from Rohi Nala to Kasur and encroachments on Hall Road. Maryam took immediate action on some suggestions and instructed the authorities to implement them. She also directed the replacement of boards at industrial establishments with top professionals. The business community appreciated her innovative approach.
Several prominent figures, including Zeba Shujaur Rahman, Henna Mansab Khan, and Misbahur Rahman, met with the chief minister. Others present included Babar Mehmood, Nadeem Qureshi, and Khalid Musaab.
In a separate meeting, Maryam Nawaz reviewed the “Apni Chhat Apna Ghar” housing project, where Housing Secretary Asadullah Khan updated her on its progress. Senator Pervez Rashid and other officials attended this meeting.
Maryam also took notice of the alleged rape of a six-year-old girl in Faisalabad, calling for severe punishment for the perpetrator and promising stricter penalties for rape cases. Following her notice, the police arrested the accused.
During the fourth meeting of the Standing Committee of the Cabinet on Finance and Development (SCCFD), Maryam opposed increasing water charges for hydropower projects, as it could raise electricity prices. The meeting discussed sanitation charges and approved funds for various projects, including road constructions and the Green Pakistan Programme. Additionally, the SCCFD approved funds to send 10 women from old age homes to Hajj, with Maryam personally overseeing their departure.
The SCCFD also approved the inclusion of several projects in the Annual Development Plan 2023-24 and the transfer of 400 water filtration plants in Lahore and Faisalabad to solar energy. It was reported that since 2019, 540,000 transactions have been made through ePay Punjab. An access road from Ferozepur Road to Garments City will also be constructed at a cost of Rs306 million.
