Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif presided over a high-level meeting regarding Punjab’s 188 fruit and vegetable markets to review measures to modernize them, including improved cleanliness, installation of street lights, functional toilets, auction sheds, transparent auction systems, waste-to-value initiatives and cultivation of off-season vegetables.
Authorities concerned briefed Chief Minister Punjab that help desks, online tracking through Safe City Authority, street lighting, cleanliness arrangements and fully functional toilets are being ensured in all 188 modern vegetable markets. They added that in order to curb fraud, direct auctions have been introduced across Punjab’s vegetable markets and auction sheds have been established. They further briefed her that all water filtration plants have been restored in 188 modern markets to provide clean drinking water to buyers and commission agents. They apprised her that a new cleanliness system, dedicated staff and an organized waste collection mechanism are being introduced in these markets, adding that clean and hygienic toilets have now been made fully functional in all modern markets.
Officials further briefed Chief Minister Punjab that new modern vegetable markets will be established in Pakpattan, Kasur, Sahiwal, Mian Channu, Sheikhupura and Mandi Bahauddin. They added that in order to provide affordable fruits and vegetables to the people of Murree, a dedicated supply chain system will be established to ensure availability of edibles at wholesale rates. Chief Minister Punjab directed all relevant stakeholders to adopt modern farming techniques to ensure availability of off-season vegetables. She directed to launch immediate action against price control magistrates involved in deceiving public and further directed that they should be dismissed from service and sent to jail. She granted approval to recruit secretaries in market committees on merit through the Public Service Commission. She appreciated Minister for Agriculture Ashiq Kirmani, Special Assistant Salma Butt, Director General Food Amjad Hafeez and their entire team for their commendable efforts.
Chief Minister Punjab asserted that mafia culture has been eliminated from Punjab and no mafia will now be allowed to operate and flourish. She reaffirmed Punjab government’s commitment to providing ‘roti’ and flour at a subsidized price to the public under any circumstance. She further announced that she would personally conduct surprise visits to fruit and vegetable markets and highlighted that remarkable development and other initiatives are underway in Punjab, adding that other provinces are compelled to emulate them.
Meanwhile, Maryam Nawaz Sharif chaired a three-hour-long accountability meeting via video link with all commissioners, deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners, taking strict notice of open manholes, dog-bite incidents and lapses in public safety across the province.
The chief minister ordered for decisive action against officers failing to ensure citizens’ safety and public convenience, warning that negligent officials would face stern measures including transfers, explanations and warnings. She immediately transferred Assistant Commissioner Layyah Haris Hameed over the tragic death of a two-year-old child who fell into an open pit in Layyah.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif instructed the administration to take prompt action against open manholes, dog-bite incidents, dilapidated infrastructure and land-grab mafia activities. She emphasized that no compromise would be tolerated in protecting life, property, and the provision of basic facilities to Punjab’s citizens. She called for performance evaluations of Commissioners and directed Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners to establish KPIs for their officers and staff.
Expressing deep concern over preventable tragedies, she stressed the need for pre-emptive measures, particularly against dog-bite incidents and unsecured sewerage pits, and instructed officials to ignore political pressure while prioritizing good governance and transparency. She appreciated swift action in 3,607 encroachment cases and urged further empowerment of ADC(R)s and Assistant Commissioners in ongoing anti-encroachment drives.