LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has warned the provincial bureaucracy that substandard performance and negligence will not be tolerated anywhere in the province.
She issued the warning while presiding over a meeting convened to review the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of deputy commissioners.
While tightening oversight of governance and cleanliness arrangements, the chief minister said those responsible for poor performance or any form of negligence would receive no concession. Acting on her directions, secret teams will be deployed to every district to monitor governance quality, as the Punjab government prepares immediate action against private contractors of Suthra (Clean) Punjab found delivering substandard services.
Maryam expressed strong displeasure over the unsatisfactory cleanliness situation in several cities. She ordered for immediate suspension of payments to delinquent contractors and instructed the authorities to review renewal of contracts where performance remains inadequate.
She also reprimanded relevant officials for failing to prevent stray dog-bites and for deaths caused by uncovered or unsafe manholes, issuing warnings to the deputy commissioners concerned. Taking notice of government hospitals in some districts failing to provide completely free medicines, she ordered urgent corrective measures.
The chief minister instructed authorities to ensure regular cleaning of garbage bins and to build waste enclosures in all cities to improve sanitation standards. She further ordered that waste enclosures be fully secured with boundary walls to maintain a clean and pleasant urban environment. “Garbage bins should be washed daily across Punjab; any negligence in cleanliness will not be tolerated,” she added.
Maryam Nawaz also ordered exemplary cleanliness at parking areas, bus stands and all public spaces. She announced that 24/7 CCTV monitoring would be used to permanently eliminate encroachments, with illegal constructions and occupations digitally recorded in real time. She ordered for immediate removal of carts obstructing free movement and ordered market administrations to provide written assurances of compliance. She also instructed strict action, including arrests, against those violating government norms.
Reaffirming her resolve to make Punjab’s urban environment clean, safe and welcoming, the chief minister ordered robust measures to restore the main entry and exit routes of all cities, including the development of greenbelts. She termed the safety and maintenance of electric buses running in districts essential and directed immediate repair of hazardous electric wires in markets, issuing strict instructions to the concerned power companies.
Maryam further directed the marking of lanes on all roads in every city and ordered assistant commissioners to remain in the field to supervise cleanliness. She instructed all deputy commissioners to form vigilance teams to strengthen governance and encouraged the use of water from mosque ablution areas for tree plantation initiatives.
The chief minister directed the authorities concerned to ensure proper cleanliness, fix manhole covers and streetlights, and improve maintenance standards in private housing societies. She further instructed them to keep water filtration plants functional, ensure regular cleaning of public toilets, and impose fines on societies that fail to follow government directives.
She declared charging stations mandatory at all newly established petrol pumps and ordered the provision of clean and well-maintained toilets at fuel stations along highways. She also directed officials to rehabilitate greenbelts and ensure consistent tree and grass plantation in cities of all sizes. The chief minister instructed authorities to strictly enforce the 10pm closure of wedding events and the one-dish policy. Warning that district heads delivering substandard results will be replaced, she said that any deputy commissioner receiving two warnings will be removed upon the third. “It is regrettable that the best results are still not coming despite funds being provided,” she remarked.
CM Maryam stated that there was “absolutely no room for any mistake or omission” in public service and that Punjab requires “next-level governance” across every sector. She directed officials to empower the administration with full authority, financial support and trust, saying that 100pc results must be ensured. While noting that Punjab performs better than other provinces in governance, she added that she remains dissatisfied. “It is very sad that garbage containers often look dirtier than the garbage itself,” she said.
She acknowledged that deputy commissioners have performed well on issues such as Afghan migrant management but stressed that overall governance standards must improve. The chief minister urged authorities to maintain public spaces with the same care as private homes.
Highlighting global environmental standards, she noted that even cutting a tree branch in Brazil is considered a crime. She directed authorities to construct footpaths up to the entrance of shops in every market to prevent dust accumulation and improve urban aesthetics. She pointed out that broken footpaths and the absence of fresh paint diminish the visual appeal of cities. The chief minister said she is receiving direct feedback from districts through social media and other channels. She added that she has delegated significant financial powers and facilities to deputy commissioners — despite political resistance — and stressed that with machinery worth Rs40-50 billion and 150,000 sanitation workers, the sight of garbage piles in cities is “absolutely unacceptable”.
