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LAHORE, Nov 25 (APP):Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday presided over the third consecutive day of special accountability sessions aimed at ensuring transparency and performance across provincial institutions.
Chairing a six-hour marathon meeting, she held every department and secretary answerable for progress and issued wide-ranging directives for reforms in education, environment, forestry, wildlife, fisheries, tourism, archaeology, sports and labour sectors.
The CM directed the initiation of historic steps to give the Punjabi language a central role in education, culture and everyday public life. The meeting was informed that preparations for allotting 3-marla plots to 20,000 workers in Jhang and Kamalia have been completed, while special low-interest loans will be provided under the Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar scheme. She ordered immediate measures to ensure rapid implementation.
CM Maryam Nawaz directed extensive plantation campaigns along railway tracks, roads and canal banks. Officials briefed that Punjab will install an advanced fire-alert system capable of detecting forest fire risks 20 minutes in advance, along with a sensor-based mechanism to curb illegal tree cutting. To promote youth engagement, she ordered monthly championship events across the province.
Authorities apprised the meeting that Punjab’s first pilot shrimp-farming project had succeeded, with large-scale consignments exported. Shrimp farming on 5,000 acres will begin by February 2026, while the CM sought a feasibility plan to expand the initiative to 50,000 acres. She was informed that provincial tourism has been fully digitalized through the “Magnificent Punjab” app, enabling convenient access to tour information and guidance.
The CM directed preparation of comprehensive development packages for all major tourist destinations. She ordered that school grounds across Punjab be opened to the public in the evenings to promote healthy activities. She also sought recommendations for introducing laptop quotas for private universities and colleges and instructed that the draft of the College Management Council be presented soon. Officials briefed that 44 buses will be promptly provided to girls’ colleges.
Expressing satisfaction over the indigenously developed smog gun at UET, Maryam Nawaz Sharif ordered the introduction of character-building classes in schools and approved the launch of the “Education on Wheels” pilot project in Lahore.
Officials briefed that GIS-based complete forest mapping is being initiated for the first time, while 50,000 advanced global-level courses will be offered to students through Google Scholars. Permanent principals have been appointed at 90 percent of Punjab’s colleges, and recruitment procedures for chairmen, secretaries and controllers of education boards received in-principle approval.
Under the School Meal Program, the provision of milk packs has increased enrolment by 47 percent, while 1.1 million milk packs are being recycled into 150,000 school benches.
Officials informed that 1,600 classrooms have been completed, with 22,000 more to be constructed in the next three months. Under Public Schools Reorganization Program (PSRP) 500 classrooms, 3,036 roofs and 4,377 toilets have been rehabilitated, while schools received 23,000 furniture sets and 1,643 water tanks. University enrolment has surged by 72 percent, reflecting rising public trust. Under the Honhaar Scholarship Scheme, 140,000 students received scholarships and 110,000 were given laptops.
The meeting was briefed that amendments to the Punjab Wildlife Act 1974 have strengthened action against illegal possession of wildlife. A crackdown has so far rescued 35,000 birds and 7,000 animals, and three rehabilitation centres have been established in Lahore, Khanewal and Rawalpindi, with special bear-protection centres being set up.
Authorities apprised that 41 Air Quality Monitoring Stations are functional across 18 districts, with a target of installing 100 more next year. Satellite tracking has significantly reduced crop-burning incidents. Pakistan’s first Eco-Chatbot has been launched by the Environment Department, while a 660-member Environment Protection Force is operating across the province. Around 300,000 emissions tests have been conducted so far.
Officials informed that a “Smog Command and Control War Room” has been established at the Safe City Authority for real-time air-quality monitoring. Nighttime CCTV monitoring of industries is underway, supplemented by an eight-member night squad against hazardous emissions. Drone surveillance has contributed to a 66 percent reduction in crop burning. In Sialkot, 31 tanneries have been relocated to a dedicated industrial zone to curb toxic emissions caused by tire burning, fat melting and battery burning.