LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to set up three key institutions — Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA), and Development Authorities — across 36 districts to improve public services, development work, and beautification projects.
Currently, WASA operates in 15 cities and PHAs in five. From July 1, the government will begin establishing these institutions in all older districts of the province. Budget has already been allocated for this expansion.
Punjab has 41 districts, but five new districts — Murree, Talagang, Kot Addu, Nankana Sahib, and Wazirabad — have been excluded for now because their full administrative structures are not yet in place. These new districts still lack independent police, district heads, and judicial appointments.
WASA was initially set up in Rawalpindi, Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, and Gujranwala. In the second phase, operations are being extended to 10 more cities, including Sargodha, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, and Rahim Yar Khan. A Gazette Notification has been issued after approval by the Governor of Punjab.
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The new institutions will be led by political representatives and Punjab Assembly members. All future development, sanitation, and beautification projects in the districts will be carried out through these authorities.
District Development Committee Convener, MNA Qamar-ul-Islam, said that the upcoming financial year is focused on development and public welfare, and this expansion is part of that strategy.
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