Lahore, July 24, 2023 (PPI-OT): Secretary Local Government Dr Irshad Ahmad has emphasized the imperative implementation of stringent quality assurance measures in development projects and has issued unequivocal instructions to chief officers. He made it clear that any failure to comply with the prescribed standards would lead to appropriate actions taken against the concerned chief officers and monitoring officers.

Dr Irshad Ahmad held a meeting with the World Bank Mission at the Civil Secretariat on Saturday to discuss the progress of the Punjab Cities Program. The World Bank Mission, comprising Shahnaz Arshad and Sohib Rashid, expressed contentment with the advancements made in the Punjab Cities Program and commended the effective leadership of the local government secretary in driving the development projects forward.

In the meeting, Dr Irshad Ahmad provided a comprehensive overview of the project’s performance, ensuring the mission that chief officers and monitoring officers in the respective local governments are actively supervising the construction work on-site to ensure its quality. Additionally, he mentioned that he inspects ongoing development projects in all cities encompassed by the Punjab Cities Program.

Dr Irshad Ahmad underscored that the Punjab Cities Program is aimed at bringing about substantial infrastructural improvements in 16 small cities, with projects worth 20 billion rupees scheduled to be completed within the next two years. He highlighted that this initiative will not only enhance the cities’ infrastructure but also involve digitization efforts to modernize local governments. In the meeting, Program Director Syed Zahid Aziz delivered a briefing about the program. Iftikhar Rasool, General Manager of Engineering, and Mahmood Masood Tamana, General Manager GM were also present.

For more information, contact:

Directorate General Public Relations,

Government of the Punjab

Lahore, Pakistan

Tel: +92-42-9201390-86

Website: www.punjab.gov.pk