Minister Calls for Adopting China, Japan Models in ‘Suthra Punjab’ Initiative

By Farzana Chaudhry
Lahore, Pakistan
LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Local Government Zeeshan Rafique has directed authorities to adopt the waste management models of China and Japan in the “Suthra Punjab” initiative, stressing that waste should be treated as a valuable resource rather than a problem.
The minister issued the directives while chairing a meeting of the Suthra Punjab Authority at the Civil Secretariat. Secretary Local Government Shakeel Ahmed Mian, Special Secretaries Asia Gul and Arshad Baig, Director General Suthra Punjab Authority Babar Sahib Din, and Additional Secretary Ahmer Kaifi were also present.
The meeting reviewed the next phase of the “waste-to-value” programme under Suthra Punjab. Zeeshan Rafique said discussions with Suzuki Motor Company regarding the production of biofuel from waste were progressing, terming the initiative a significant step towards sustainable waste management.
He said the transfer of administrative supervision from the divisional to the district level under the newly formed authority was expected to yield positive results. “An agency is now being established in every district under the Suthra Punjab Authority,” he added.
The minister said it was encouraging that the Suthra Punjab model was gaining international recognition. He cited a recent report by a Gulf newspaper describing the initiative as unique, adding that international outlets including Forbes, Bloomberg and the BBC had earlier termed Suthra Punjab a “game changer”.
Zeeshan Rafique said that within a few months, Punjab had established what he described as the world’s largest sanitation system. He credited Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s patronage and vision for the rapid progress of the initiative, saying Suthra Punjab was becoming stronger with each passing day.
He further noted that establishing the authority at the provincial level would streamline decision-making and ensure more effective delivery of services to the public.