{
  "id": 19900660,
  "title": "Sohna Punjab Programme: Punjab launches second, third phases",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/sohna-punjab-programme-punjab-launches-second-third-phases",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-14T01:47:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Recorder",
    "slug": "business-recorder",
    "url": "https://www.brecorder.com/news/40448812/sohna-punjab-programme-punjab-launches-second-third-phases"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique announced the commencement of the second and third phases of the 'Maryam Nawaz Ka Sohna Punjab' programme in Lahore. The first phase had been successfully executed in 51 cities. During a review meeting on Friday, Rafique emphasized the importance of city beautification, aligning with Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif's priorities. The local government department is currently constructing 61 kilometers of new drains in the 51 cities, alongside renovating the existing 63 kilometers of outdated stormwater drains. Additionally, 4135 kilometers of sewers and 1245 kilometers of roads will be constructed under the programme.\n\nFurthermore, 70 new machines have been provided to the municipal bodies of the included cities to tackle urban flooding, with the procurement of 217 more machines currently in progress. Rafique reviewed the ongoing schemes under the Punjab Development Program (PDP) and directed special focus on the beautification of cities. The meeting also saw the presence of PDP Project Director Shahid Zaman Lak, Additional Secretary Mehreen Fahim Abbasi, Assistant Project Directors, and Municipal Officers Infrastructure (MOI).",
  "summary": "LAHORE: Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique has said that after the successful completion of the first phase of ‘Maryam Nawaz Ka Sohna Punjab’ programme in 51 cities, work has started on the second and third phases. While reviewing the ongoing schemes under the Punjab Development Program (PDP) during a meeting on Friday, he directed that special attention be paid to the…",
  "key_points": [
    "Punjab launches second and third phases of Sohna Punjab programme",
    "61 km of new drains and 63 km of renovated drains under construction",
    "4135 km of sewers and 1245 km of roads to be built in 51 cities"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Expanding the urban beautification initiative through massive infrastructure upgrades and new machinery signals a shift toward prioritizing long-term drainage capacity and flood management across Punjab's cities.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}