Punjab Province

Rawalpindi | ReNews Pakistan
The Punjab Agriculture Department has launched the second phase of its mini-dam project in the rain-fed Potohar region, aiming to improve irrigation and strengthen the productive use of agricultural land through the construction of 150 mini dams across Rawalpindi division by June 30, 2027.

Part of a three-year Agriculture Transformation Plan, the initiative offers farmers a 70 per cent subsidy, with financial assistance of Rs1.75 million for each mini dam. The first phase delivered 111 mini dams during the previous fiscal year.

Launched under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s initiative for Potohar, the project focuses on storing rainwater for agricultural use. More dependable access to water is expected to help landowners sustain crops and orchards beyond the rainy season and make better use of cultivable land affected by seasonal water shortages.

From a land-use perspective, the project could expand the range of agricultural activities that participating farms can support. Stored water may enable farmers to develop orchards, grow higher-value crops and introduce fish farming alongside existing cultivation, subject to local conditions and water availability.

The mini dams are also expected to help prevent soil erosion and reduce damage caused by floodwater. These measures could protect fertile topsoil and preserve the productive capacity of agricultural holdings, while improved groundwater recharge may offer additional benefits for surrounding farmland.

For agricultural property owners and prospective buyers, access to reliable irrigation is an important consideration when assessing a holding’s productive potential. However, the reported project details provide no evidence of an increase in land prices or any change in land-use permissions.

The initiative is intended to support agriculture and related rural livelihoods, including horticulture, fish farming and dairy farming. Its practical benefits for individual holdings will depend on rainfall, storage capacity, site conditions and the management of available water.

Local growers have welcomed the project. Farmers Afzal Ali and Faizan said the mini dams would improve water supplies for crops and orchards throughout the year. They added that the reservoirs could be used to raise fish for household consumption and could attract aquatic birds.

The second phase will extend rainwater storage infrastructure across Rawalpindi division, with the potential to improve farm productivity and protect agricultural land in a region heavily dependent on rainfall.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan

Lahore | Riaz Hussain ReNews Pakistan
Significant progress has yet to be established in Punjab’s drive to inspect private school buildings and enforce building fitness certificate requirements. Despite the announcement of safety measures, the number of dangerous or dilapidated buildings remains unclear, raising questions about implementation beyond paperwork.
It remains unknown how many private school buildings have undergone technical inspections, how many have been declared unsafe and how many institutions have faced enforcement action. The lack of consolidated official figures has left the status of the government’s building audit campaign uncertain.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif ordered the audit several months ago following two successive school roof collapse incidents in Lahore that resulted in children’s deaths.
The Punjab School Education Department’s official Private Education Provider Registration and Information System (PEPRIS) lists a building fitness certificate among the documents required for both new private school registrations and registration renewals. While this confirms the certification requirement, its inclusion alone does not establish that all private school buildings have undergone a fresh safety audit. Effective implementation requires inspections and verification.
According to information reported in July 2026, the School Education Department approached the Communications and Works Department to inspect private school buildings and issue fitness certificates. The initial plan covered approximately 3,500 private schools in Lahore, with the exercise subsequently intended to extend across Punjab.
However, the Communications and Works Department proposed engaging independent third-party engineering consultants instead of assuming responsibility for issuing the certificates. The department maintained that many private schools operate from rented premises, residential properties or buildings used for other purposes, where approved engineering designs, evidence of compliance with construction standards and complete technical documentation are unavailable. These concerns highlighted the need for formal assessments of structural integrity.
Under a policy reported on July 18, private schools were permitted to obtain building fitness certificates from civil engineers or engineering firms registered with the Pakistan Engineering Council. The School Education Department directed deputy commissioners and chief executive officers of district education authorities to ensure implementation. The instructions stipulated that no private school would be registered without a valid building fitness certificate.
Earlier, the Lahore Education Authority directed private schools to arrange immediate safety inspections of their buildings, classrooms, roofs, boundary walls and main gates. According to a July 2 report, schools operating from dilapidated or unsafe premises were also instructed to suspend teaching activities until fitness certificates were issued.
The safety instructions included improving drainage, preventing rainwater accumulation and inspecting electrical wiring and equipment.
At the district level, a July 7 report from Multan cited a preliminary survey indicating that approximately 25 per cent of school buildings were dilapidated. It also identified weak roofs in some buildings and deficiencies in fire protection, emergency exits and other safety arrangements.
However, the report did not provide the total number of institutions inspected, a school by school list or the original technical assessment. The percentage therefore cannot be applied to private schools across Punjab.
The overall position regarding action against unsafe buildings also remains unclear. Although instructions exist to suspend teaching in dangerous premises and obtain fitness certificates, the government has yet to provide consolidated details of how many private school buildings have been demolished, how many institutions have been closed or relocated, and how many have been given time to undertake repairs.
The absence of these figures has fueled concerns that the audit process may have slowed or stalled, although the lack of publicly available data alone does not establish that inspections have stopped.