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LAHORE, Dec 03 (APP): Punjab Assembly (PA) Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan on Wednesday said that devolution of powers at the grassroots level was essential for effective governance, stressing that durable solutions to public issues were not possible without a strong and empowered local government system.
He expressed these views while addressing the “Punjab Parliamentarians’ Conference on Sustainable Development Goals,” organized with the support of the Parliamentary Development Unit (PDU), where he participated as the Chief Guest.
The speaker said inequalities in education, health and basic services remained the biggest obstacle to Pakistan’s development, adding that the sharp difference in per-student spending between leading private institutions and government schools reflected deep-rooted social injustice.
He emphasized that providing essential services was the core responsibility of provincial governments and said all provinces, including Balochistan, were taking effective measures for public welfare.
Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan termed Punjab’s “Suthra Programme” a successful model, saying that a systematic street-cleanliness mechanism at the rural level had been introduced for the first time, strengthening the local governance framework.
He also appreciated development initiatives of Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah and Chief Minister(CM) Punjab Maryam Nawaz, saying integrated policy-making was crucial for human development, good governance, equitable resource distribution and environmental protection.
PA speaker Muhammad Ahmed warned that chemicals and pollution posed serious threats to aquatic life and human health,adding that the government had allocated billions of rupees for environmental improvement.
He said that 97 percent of the population suffered deprivation while only 3 percent controlled resources, underscoring the need for just distribution and a clear direction for governance systems.
He stressed the importance of sustained dialogue for achieving development goals and called for the introduction of Artificial Intelligence in the curriculum and systems of government schools.