Lahore Division

Lahore | ReNews National Desk The Punjab government has approved the key outlines of a Rs 1.995 trillion industrial and export development programme aimed at expanding industrial activity, promoting exports and attracting investment. The plan includes four proposed agricultural processing parks in Sargodha, Khanewal, Okara and Bhakkar. The programme aims to expand industrial activity across the province, facilitate the establishment of new industries, increase local processing of agricultural produce and create more than 162,000 jobs. The programme was approved at the 37th meeting of the Punjab provincial cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on October 19. Under the Punjab Innovation for Value, Opportunity and Transformation (PIVOT) programme, total investment of Rs 1.995 trillion is expected. The provincial government has proposed a contribution of Rs 1.089 trillion, while the target for private-sector investment is Rs 906 billion. The programme includes the development of industrial infrastructure, the establishment of industry clusters, improvements to the quality of export products, modernisation of the agriculture and livestock sectors, and new projects through public-private partnerships. A key component is the proposed development of agricultural processing parks in four districts. The parks in Sargodha, Khanewal, Okara and Bhakkar are intended to support modern processing of agricultural produce, add value to products and improve access to domestic and international markets. Their development could create demand in the respective districts for industrial land, factories, warehouses, cold storage, electricity, water, roads and other infrastructure, potentially opening up opportunities for the construction and industrial real estate sectors.However, the government has not yet announced the specific site s or boundaries for the parks, approved layout plans, industrial plot prices, application procedures or possession dates. The programme also proposes providing plug-and-play industrial facilities to help new businesses begin operations. Such centres could offer businesses ready-to-use infrastructure and essential services, potentially reducing the initial cost and time required to set up factories. Garments, leather goods, footwear and sports equipment have been given particular importance in the industrial development plan. Measures to test products, certify quality and strengthen production capacity in line with international requirements are also included. The programme proposes material-testing laboratories for the cutlery, hand tools, ceramics and fan industries to improve the quality and export competitiveness of locally made products. In agriculture, the plan also focuses on adding value to wheat, developing the meat and dairy industries, processing kinnow, potatoes and mangoes, and promoting horticulture, commercial flower production, aquaculture and related businesses. The government has included export financing support and skills training for businesses linked to horticulture and the flower industry. The programme also envisages support for existing businesses, the promotion of e-commerce and digital business activity, and the provision of modern industrial facilities. The four proposed processing parks and industrial clusters are particularly relevant to the construction and real estate sectors. Their development will depend on land availability, industrial zoning, construction planning, access roads and the provision of basic infrastructure. The Rs 1.995 trillion figure represents the programme’s expected total investment. It should not be taken as the amount of construction contracts to be awarded immediately or as funding already available in full. Similarly, the target of more than 162,000 jobs is contingent on investment, the launch of projects and the growth of industries. Following the provincial cabinet’s approval, further decisions are expected on detailed feasibility studies, land selection, financial arrangements and phased implementation of the programme’s projects. If implemented effectively, the programme could expand industrial activity across Punjab’s districts, add value to agricultural products, attract new investment and stimulate construction-sector activity.

Lahore | ReNews National Desk Punjab’s Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) has approved a Rs 18.786 billion scheme associated with the Nawaz Sharif Medical District in Lahore, advancing a healthcare development whose wider plans combine specialised hospitals with transport infrastructure, commercial facilities and public spaces. The approval was granted during the PDWP’s 11th meeting of the current financial year on October 27, chaired by Punjab Planning and Development Board Chairman Dr Naeem Rauf. The project also has a substantial land-use dimension. Media's June 2026 budget coverage located the wider medical district on Lahore’s southwestern outskirts near Pine Avenue and LDA City, describing a pedestrian-friendly campus extending over more than 1,500 kanals. This places the development within an expanding urban corridor where hospital access, utilities and surrounding land uses will be important to its functioning. Earlier planning details reported in February identified two mixed-use commercial zones measuring 28.89 kanals and 28.69 kanals, a combined 57.58 kanals. The reported layout also included a biodiversity park, a 22.87-kanal helipad and a 32.38-kanal gas station. These figures concern the earlier district plan; the latest approval report does not establish whether those allocations have subsequently changed. Connectivity forms another significant part of the proposed land development. The earlier plan envisaged a Civic Avenue linking hospitals, a 250-foot-wide Sunset Avenue, direct access to Lahore Ring Road, and 53.99 kanals reserved for pedestrian crossings, bridges and canal-side walkways. Together, these elements indicate a planned healthcare precinct with supporting infrastructure extending beyond individual hospital buildings. From an urban development perspective, concentrating medical institutions in this location could generate demand for patient accommodation, pharmacies, transport, and other supporting services. That remains a potential consequence of implementation, rather than a confirmed increase in surrounding property prices. The latest approval report does not specify fresh land acquisition, ownership transfers, compensation arrangements or the parcel boundaries attached to the Rs 18.786 billion scheme. It also provides no scheme-specific completion date. Those details will be necessary to establish the precise land footprint and delivery schedule of the newly approved works.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan Pakistan has expanded the testing of a satellite based irrigation decision-support system to the canal network serving approximately 13.3 million kanals of agricultural land in Punjab, aiming to improve the efficiency and fairness of irrigation water distribution. The initiative seeks to align water allocations more closely with actual crop requirements while improving the management of available water resources through satellite monitoring and mathematical optimisation. The completion of the third phase of the three year project, supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), was announced during a workshop at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). The project has been developed through collaboration between LUMS, the Punjab Irrigation Department and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. At the centre of the initiative is the Rotation Advisory Module (RAM), an advanced decision support tool that combines satellite derived information with mathematical optimisation to recommend irrigation water allocations. The system was initially piloted on selected canals in the Balloki Okara division before being extended to all rotation channels of the Lower Bari Doab Canal (LBDC) network. The LBDC system serves approximately 675,000 hectares, equivalent to 13.3 million kanals, of agricultural land in Punjab. The technology uses satellite-based estimates of Relative Water Deficit (RWD) to assess the extent to which crops may be experiencing water shortages. Based on this information, the mathematical model recommends water allocations for upcoming irrigation rotations while considering existing distribution priorities and operational constraints. Addressing the workshop, ADB Water Management Consultant Dr. S. A. Prathapar said modernising irrigation systems required more than constructing new canals or upgrading physical infrastructure. He emphasised the need to modernise the operational rules governing how irrigation water is distributed among agricultural users. Dr. Prathapar explained that conventional irrigation performance indicators could determine whether authorities had delivered the planned quantity of water but could not necessarily establish whether crops had received sufficient water to meet their actual requirements. Satellite-based water deficit estimates could help address this limitation by providing more accurate information for future irrigation allocation decisions. Dr. Abubakr Muhammad of LUMS highlighted the importance of Pakistan's irrigation network for national food security and rural livelihoods. He said climate change, uncertainty over water availability and rising agricultural production costs, particularly energy expenses, were placing increasing pressure on the country's irrigation system. According to Dr. Muhammad, advances in satellite remote sensing, near real time monitoring and intelligent decision support systems could enable irrigation managers to make more informed decisions based on water shortages at field and canal levels.He also stressed that technological improvements must account for social considerations, water governance and fairness in distribution. ADB Principal Water Resource Specialist Ryutaro Takaku Bessho reaffirmed the bank's continued engagement in Pakistan's agriculture and water sectors, particularly in addressing climate vulnerability, improving food security and strengthening rural resilience. Technical sessions at the workshop examined satellite based crop water requirement estimates, the functioning of the Rotation Advisory Module and its potential integration with the Punjab Irrigation Department's Irrigation Decision Support System. Representatives from the Punjab Irrigation and Agriculture Departments, WAPDA, the Ministry of Water Resources, SUPARCO and the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council attended the workshop. Participants also discussed further system validation, institutional arrangements, farmer engagement and the possible integration of rainfall forecasts into future irrigation recommendations. However, the technology remains a decision support and testing initiative. Its extension across the LBDC network does not mean that irrigation water distribution has become fully automated or that the system has been permanently adopted throughout the area.Further operational validation and institutional arrangements will be required before wider implementation.