- Punjab CM reviews sweeping modernization plan for fruit and vegetable markets and transparent auctions
- Orders strict action over open manholes, dog bites and governance failures
LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Tuesday reviewed sweeping measures to modernize Punjab’s 188 fruit and vegetable markets, directing authorities to ensure cleaner facilities, transparent auction systems, technology-driven monitoring, and waste-to-value initiatives, while warning of strict action against price manipulation, corruption, and public safety lapses.
Chairing high-level meetings, she also ordered decisive steps against open manholes, dog-bite incidents, and administrative negligence, stressing zero tolerance for what she termed governance failures.
Presiding over a meeting on Punjab’s fruit and vegetable markets, the chief minister reviewed steps aimed at their modernization, including improved cleanliness, installation of streetlights, functional toilets, auction sheds, transparent auctions, waste-to-value initiatives and promotion of off-season vegetable cultivation. Officials briefed her that help desks, online monitoring through the Safe City Authority, cleanliness arrangements, street lighting, and fully functional toilets were being ensured in all 188 modern markets.
They informed her that to curb fraud and malpractice, direct auctions had been introduced across Punjab’s vegetable markets and dedicated auction sheds established. She was told that water filtration plants had been restored in all 188 markets to provide clean drinking water to buyers and commission agents, while a new cleanliness system with dedicated staff and an organized waste collection mechanism was being introduced. Clean and hygienic toilets, officials added, were now fully functional in all modern markets.
Authorities further briefed the chief minister that help desks had been set up for buyers, rate boards prominently displayed, and more than 266,000 streetlights made operational across these markets. They said a ‘Waste-to-Value’ programme had been launched, under which green waste from markets would be used for biogas production and poultry feed. Drainage systems had been restored in every market, they added, and covers installed on all manholes.
For the first time in Punjab, officials said, a ‘Tracking on Wheels’ system had been implemented to maintain records of supply and demand of fruits and vegetables. Every truck transporting fruits and vegetables into Punjab had been linked with the Safe City Authority for tracking and monitoring purposes.
The chief minister was also briefed that new modern vegetable markets would be established in Pakpattan, Kasur, Sahiwal, Mian Channu, Sheikhupura and Mandi Bahauddin. To ensure affordable fruits and vegetables for residents and tourists in Murree, a dedicated supply chain system would be set up to provide edibles at wholesale rates. Maryam Nawaz directed all stakeholders to adopt modern farming techniques to ensure the availability of off-season vegetables.
The chief minister asserted that mafia culture had been eliminated from Punjab and would not be allowed to re-emerge. She reaffirmed the Punjab government’s commitment to providing ‘roti’ and flour at subsidized prices under all circumstances and announced that she would personally conduct surprise visits to fruit and vegetable markets. She said development initiatives underway in Punjab were setting examples that other provinces were being compelled to follow.
Separately, the chief minister chaired a three-hour accountability meeting via video link, attended by all commissioners, deputy commissioners, and assistant commissioners, to review public safety and governance issues. She directed officers to take strict and decisive action to ensure citizens’ safety and convenience, warning that failure would invite transfers, explanations, and other disciplinary measures.
بس اب کسی کو بھی کوئی رعایت نہیں ہو گی
وزیراعلٰی مریم نواز نے دوران میٹنگ اسسٹنٹ کمشنر “لیہ” کو میٹنگ سے نکال کر عہدہ سے برطرف کر دیا-
مریم نواز کا کہنا تھا کہ وہ گٹر میں گرنا والا بچہ ہم میں سے بھی کسی کا ہو سکتا ہے میں پنجاب میں ہونے والے ہر incident کی جوابدہ ہوں، آئندہ کے… pic.twitter.com/lz4ePWnOLZ— Azma Zahid Bokhari (@AzmaBokhariPMLN) December 17, 2025
She barred Assistant Commissioner Layyah Haris Hameed from sitting in the meeting over the tragic death of a two-year-old child who fell into a pit in Layyah and ordered his immediate transfer. Maryam Nawaz directed the administration to take urgent action against open manholes, dog-bite incidents, dilapidated infrastructure, and the land-grab mafia, stressing that there would be no compromise on the protection of life and property.
Taking notice of unsatisfactory performance by some commissioners, she ordered the introduction of a comprehensive evaluation system based on key performance indicators (KPIs). She also directed deputy and assistant commissioners to set KPIs for their respective officers and staff. Expressing strong indignation over repeated incidents of people falling into manholes and suffering dog bites, she summoned the deputy commissioners of Multan, Hafizabad and Bahawalnagar over negligence and reprimanded the deputy commissioner of Layyah.
The chief minister emphasized that officers must take preemptive action to prevent such tragedies, questioning the lack of preventive measures against dog bites and asking whether repairing open manholes and sewerage pits was not the responsibility of the officers concerned. She directed officials to ignore political pressure and make good governance and transparency their core objectives.
She appreciated swift decisions in 3,607 encroachment cases and ordered effective anti-encroachment drives, directing further empowerment of ADCs (Revenue) and assistant commissioners. She ordered that every market in Punjab be beautified according to approved designs with foolproof monitoring and that footpaths be constructed along roads to ensure public safety and convenience.
The chief minister also directed the installation of clear and uniform signboards in markets across all cities and emphasized enhancing greenery in bazaars to create a pleasant environment. Officials informed her that Lahore’s historic Ichhra Bazaar would be beautified with improved access for women, along with the establishment of quality coffee shops, pakora and chaat stalls and newly constructed clean toilets.
She was told that in Kasur, state-of-the-art food streets and the general bus stand would be renovated, while markets in Shahkot, Warburton, Sangla Hill and Nankana Sahib’s Clock Tower area would also be beautified. In Pakpattan, beautification of Baba Farid Bazaar, Bartan Bazaar and the Canal Bridge was to be completed by the end of May, while she directed completion of beautification works in Pakpattan Bazaar, Sadar Bazaar and Brand Road in Sahiwal by May 31. She also ordered that beautification of Okara’s Gol Chowk Bazaar, food streets and parking areas be completed before May.
