Each district of Punjab to have a parks and horticulture authorities

LAHORE – Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, has given the green light for the creation of parks and horticulture authorities (PHAs) in every single district of the province by January 2027. This decision came about during a meeting on Friday where officials presented an update on the current status of existing PHAs and their plans to expand their reach throughout the province. It was reported that PHAs are already operational in 10 districts, with new authorities having been set up in 11 others.

The government has also approved the hiring of professionals to work in these PHAs, with a total of 2,820 technical positions to be filled. These roles will span across various levels, such as managing directors, directors, and technical staff at the district level. In the second phase of implementation, PHAs will be established in every tehsil of Punjab.

Chief Minister Nawaz directed the authorities to develop a resource plan for each district and launch phased plantation drives across tehsils, cities, towns, and villages. Additionally, she ordered the preparation of monthly plans for planting seasonal flowers and the establishment of key performance indicators (KPIs) for PHA officials. Plans for in-house nurseries in each district to provide plants at affordable prices for these drives and floral displays were also approved.

The meeting decided on a uniform design for PHA food courts and a standardized branding for the PHA staff and vehicles. Chief Minister Nawaz instructed officials to ensure that trees and flowers are planted in every available vacant space, calling for standardised planters and flowerpots across all cities in the province. Each PHA has been given targets to improve the urban landscape, beautify parks, and rehabilitate greenbelts.