- Punjab CM greenlights drive to establish shrimp estates over 5,600 acres in Sargodha and Alipur
- Saline, barren land to be transformed for Blue Economy initiative to spur exports, create thousands of jobs
LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has unveiled an ambitious, multi-pronged initiative to position Punjab as a hub of modern aquaculture, with a special focus on shrimp farming, while simultaneously rolling out wide-ranging police reforms aimed at strengthening public safety and citizen-centric service delivery in 2026.
As part of the aquaculture drive, shrimp estates will be developed over a total area of 5,600 acres in Sargodha and Alipur. The project aims to convert barren and saline lands into productive assets through modern shrimp farming practices, marking a significant milestone in Punjab’s agricultural diversification and economic development.
According to official updates, the 15th daily progress report of the Sargodha shrimp farming project has been released. So far, nine shrimp ponds have been completed on 20 acres, while 5,320 metres of drainage work has been finalized. Surveys for an additional 10 acres have also been completed as part of the next phase.
Meanwhile, a quality control laboratory being established in Lahore at a cost of Rs4.5 billion is nearing completion, with 99 percent of construction work finalized. A separate laboratory in Muzaffargarh, aimed at supporting shrimp farming research and providing a conducive environment for aquaculture, has also reached 98 percent completion.
To strengthen capacity building, Pakistani experts have completed training visits to Saudi Arabia and Mexico, while international specialists Jeffrey and Jamie Dominguez have visited Pakistan to provide technical guidance. Written examinations for 100 interns selected for the shrimp farming project have also been conducted.
Infrastructure development is progressing rapidly, with 32 tubewells and eight transformers installed, and shrimp seed introduced into 64 research ponds. Additional shrimp estates and value chains are also being developed across Sargodha and Muzaffargarh.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz stated that the project would significantly boost Punjab’s exports and generate thousands of employment opportunities, describing it as the province’s largest and most important Blue Economy initiative to date.
New task given to police for 2026
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has assigned a new task to the police for 2026, issuing instructions to transform police stations into centers of public safety.
Under the Punjab government’s people-friendly, service delivery-based policing model, improving the experience of citizens will be the central focus of police reforms.
It was further decided that the performance of Station House Officers (SHOs) would be evaluated on the basis of citizen feedback, while immediate action would be taken against delays, misbehavior, or misuse of authority at police stations.
Additionally, it has been decided to link One Five and Patrol Response with the overall performance of police stations, ensuring that every citizen’s complaint is heard, registered, and acted upon in a timely manner.
