Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz emphasized the importance of active field presence for divisional commissioners during a meeting held in Lahore on Wednesday. She instructed them to strengthen on-ground monitoring and warned against any negligence in civic management, stressing that administrative officers must provide tangible public relief rather than superficial measures.
While chairing the commissioners’ meeting, Maryam Nawaz approved several public welfare projects to be funded through local revenues. She also reviewed the progress of development and sanitation initiatives throughout the province. Commissioners from the divisions of Sahiwal, Sargodha, Faisalabad, and Multan presented updates on ongoing projects and administrative performance.
Maryam Nawaz made it clear that she expects substantial groundwork instead of mere appearances, urging commissioners to be visible in the field rather than confined to air-conditioned offices. Highlighting a recent tragic incident in Faisalabad where a girl died after falling into an uncovered pit, she warned that housing society owners would face arrest if any citizen suffered due to uncovered manholes. She directed authorities to secure monthly affidavits from housing societies confirming the absence of open manholes within their areas.
Further, the chief minister ordered strict supervision of both public and private school buildings and mandated that construction sites be properly cordoned off following standard operating procedures. She instructed commissioners to personally conduct field visits and ensure thorough cleaning operations across all tehsils.
Maryam Nawaz acknowledged that while some officers were performing well, others were merely creating an illusion of work. She noted that the scale of visible progress did not meet government expectations and emphasized that the public should experience genuine relief from these efforts.
Describing commissioners as the “eyes, ears, and arms” of the government, she stressed that district administrations must justify the trust placed in them, leaving no room for negligence. She also called for stronger monitoring mechanisms and reiterated that official decisions would be based on merit rather than favoritism or recommendations.
In a significant development, the chief minister expressed concern over deteriorating roads in Sahiwal and instructed authorities to construct roads meeting “international standards”. She also ordered the construction of footpaths level with the roads and the development of an attractive entry point for Sahiwal city.
Additional directives included installing solar lights on Okara’s Main Akbar Road and floodlights at Jinnah Stadium in Okara. Maryam Nawaz also called for the beautification of Chichawatni Chowk and warned that encroachments and obstacles hindering urban beautification would not be tolerated.
She set a deadline of September 30 for the completion of the Sargodha division development scheme, emphasizing the need for uniformity and consistent quality standards across all projects. “No compromise will be made on the quality of work in any project,” she affirmed.
