LAHORE: The Punjab government has approved the establishment of Water and Sanitation Agencies (WASA) in three more cities, including the popular tourist destination of Murree, bringing the total number of WASA agencies in the province to 18.
WASA was initially operational in five major cities: Rawalpindi, Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, and Gujranwala. Last month, the provincial government expanded the initiative by setting up WASA offices in 10 more cities, including Dera Ghazi Khan, Sargodha, Hafizabad, Sahiwal, Jhelum, Bahawalpur, Okara, Rahim Yar Khan, Sialkot, and Jhang, to enhance services related to sewage, drainage, water supply, and urban beautification.
With the latest expansion, WASA will also be established in Murree, Sheikhupura, and the newly created Gujrat Division. In the second phase, Managing Directors (MDs) have been appointed for these newly formed agencies, including Jawad Kaleem for Dera Ghazi Khan, Azizullah Khan for Sargodha, Sohail Aslam Sidhu for Hafizabad, Saulat Raza for Jhang, Tanveer Qaiser for Sahiwal, Kashan Hafeez Butt for Jhelum, Ameer Ashraf for Bahawalpur, Abdul Waheed for Okara, Shoaib Fayaz for Rahim Yar Khan, and Abu Bakar Imran for Sialkot. Appointments for Murree, Sheikhupura, and Gujrat are expected to be made next week.
With this expansion, WASA services are now functional in Rawalpindi, Murree, and Jhelum within the Rawalpindi Division. Additionally, 18 Parks and Horticulture Authorities (PHA) will be set up in these districts to support urban beautification and environmental initiatives.
The coordinated efforts of WASA and PHA will lead to the development of comprehensive infrastructure projects aimed at providing clean water, improving drainage systems, and enhancing sanitation and urban aesthetics. Punjab’s Minister for Housing, Bilal Yasin, emphasized that these measures would not only improve the region’s appearance by increasing greenery but also ensure the provision of safe drinking water and better wastewater management.
