Launch of key civic agencies on the cards

The Punjab Housing, Urban Development, and Public Health Engineering Department has decided to establish three new key institutions — Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA), and Development Authorities — in 36 existing districts to enhance public service, development work, and beautification efforts.

Punjab currently comprises 41 districts. However, the five newly created districts including Murree, Talagang, Kot Addu, and Nankana Sahib have been excluded from this initiative. Presently, development authorities are functioning in five districts: Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Multan, and Lahore.

WASA agencies are already operational in 15 cities. Initially, they were set up in Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Lahore, and Multan. In the second phase, scheduled for June, approval has been granted to expand WASA operations to 10 more cities: Dera Ghazi Khan, Sargodha, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Sialkot, Hafizabad, Jhelum, Rahim Yar Khan, Jhang, and Okara. Implementation work has already begun, and full operations are expected to commence with the new fiscal year on July 1.

Similarly, PHAs are currently active in five cities. In the first quarter of the 2025-26 fiscal year — from July 1 to September 30 — PHAs, WASAs, and development authorities will be established and made operational in all 36 older districts. Budgetary allocations for this expansion have been made.

As for the five new districts that were left out, the establishment of these three institutions is planned for the third phase. These new districts are not yet fully autonomous, as key district-level departments and appointments, including district heads, have not been finalised.

As a result, these areas remain in a transitional administrative state — neither fully integrated nor independent. For instance, no district and sessions judges have been appointed, and both the police and district administrations are not yet fully autonomous.

Chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of these new institutions will be appointed from among political workers and elected members of the Punjab Assembly. Future development, beautification projects, and sanitation schemes will be initiated through these agencies and authorities.

The Secretary of Housing, Urban Development, and Public Health Engineering Department has issued a Gazette Notification — following approval from the Governor of Punjab — for the establishment of WASA in the 10 additional cities.

District Development Committee Convener, MNA Engineer Qamar-ul-Islam, says new fiscal year is dedicated to development and public service. PHAs, WASAs, and development authorities are being established in every major city of Punjab in a phased manner, he adds.