LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has approved a plan to expand the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) network across the province, with a target of establishing authorities in 20 additional districts by January 2027.
The provincial government aims to extend the organisation’s role in park management, plantation activities and urban beautification. According to officials, PHAs are already operational in 10 districts, while authorities have been established in another 11.
The government has also approved recruitment for 2,820 technical positions, including managing directors, directors and other district-level staff. The decision followed a meeting chaired by the chief minister to review existing operations and discuss the next stage of expansion.
PHAs Planned for Every Tehsil
Officials informed the meeting that the expansion would eventually extend beyond district headquarters. Under the proposed second phase, the government plans to establish PHAs in every tehsil of Punjab.
Maryam Nawaz directed officials to prepare district-specific resource plans and organise plantation campaigns in phases across cities, towns, villages and tehsils. She also called for monthly schedules for seasonal flowers and the introduction of key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the work of PHA officials.
The measures are intended to establish clearer responsibilities and improve the management of parks, green spaces and public landscaping.
Local Nurseries and Standardised Designs
The meeting approved plans to establish in-house nurseries in every district. These facilities are expected to supply plants at affordable prices for plantation campaigns and seasonal floral displays.
Officials also discussed standard designs for PHA food courts and uniform branding for staff and official vehicles. The chief minister directed departments to make use of available vacant spaces for planting trees and flowers and called for standardised planters and flowerpots across cities.
Park Restoration and Plantation Targets
Officials reported that all Category C parks in Lahore had been restored. Each PHA has also been assigned targets related to urban landscaping, park improvement and the rehabilitation of green belts.
Plantation activities are being planned according to seasonal requirements. Reported examples include bougainvillea along Khayaban-i-Jinnah, bamboo along Atta Bakhsh Road and amaltas trees along other roads. Three varieties of marigolds are also being cultivated for seasonal displays.
The meeting was further informed that PHA employees working at residential premises had been directed to return to their offices.
Implementation Will Determine Results
The planned expansion could strengthen the management of public parks and green spaces across Punjab. However, its effectiveness will depend on timely recruitment, funding, maintenance arrangements and the implementation of district-level plans.
The January 2027 deadline for establishing authorities in 20 more districts will be an important milestone in assessing progress. Extending the network to every tehsil would represent a further phase of the provincial government’s urban greening and beautification programme.
