Punjab Province

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has inaugurated 127 development schemes in Attock, including 59 road projects with a combined cost of Rs 23 billion, according to the provincial government. The programme includes work on the Fatehjang–Pindigheb Road, Dhoke Laham–Jhamat Road and Mithial Chowk–Dhoke Pathan Road. The government said its development programme has delivered around 850 kilometres of roads across the district.

Alongside road works, the provincial government is funding drainage improvements in Attock city to help reduce the accumulation of rainwater. Attock’s road network serves rural communities and towns including Rawalpindi, Pindi Gheb and Fateh Jang. The planned rehabilitation and expansion could improve connections between these areas, though motorists may face temporary disruption where construction is under way.

The Attock projects follow the recent approval of Rs 32.8 billion in road schemes elsewhere in Punjab, as the province continues to expand its transport infrastructure.

The Punjab government has launched a citywide cleanliness and anti-smog campaign, “Chamkta Lahore,” to reduce airborne dust, improve sanitation and keep roads and public spaces clean.
Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique inaugurated the campaign at Liberty Chowk. It was launched on the directives of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

Under the initiative, authorities have identified 100 major roads, locations and commercial markets for targeted cleaning. The plan calls for washing around 648 kilometres of roads each week, with a daily target of 100 kilometres. The cleaning operation will use 16 mechanical washing machines for roads and 46 rickshaw-mounted washers for footpaths. Ten rickshaw-mounted anti-smog mist guns will also spray water into the air to help suppress dust particles.

Speaking to the media, Zeeshan Rafique said anti-smog measures introduced over the past two years had produced encouraging results. He claimed that smog levels in November were noticeably lower than they had been two years earlier, and said the new campaign would further improve Lahore’s air quality and cleanliness.

The minister also highlighted development projects under way across Punjab, including work on roads, healthcare, education and urban beautification. He said initiatives were being carried out in major cities and union councils to improve public facilities and residents’ quality of life.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has approved inviting fresh applications for the Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar housing programme, as a review meeting reported progress on loan disbursements, house construction and repayments. More than 1.7 million people have registered on the programme’s online portal, the meeting was told. The scheme has disbursed over 225,000 loans, while 128,718 houses have been completed. A further 62,600 homes are nearing completion.

The briefing also reported that 171,597 beneficiaries had received the second instalment of their loans. The programme’s loan recovery rate was recorded at 97.6%, with Rs 22.29 billion recovered in instalments. The chief minister directed officials to meet the scheme’s completion targets and ensure timely progress. The programme has also received recognition from international institutions, according to the briefing.

Separately, the application process for the Apni Chhat, Mehfooz Chhat initiative has been completed. Under that programme, 3,055 applicants received loans totalling Rs 1.216 billion, and construction or expansion work on 532 houses has been completed.