Caretaker Local Government Minister Ibrahim Murad underlined the necessity of safeguarding urban green spaces at a meeting to review the master plan for 11 Punjab districts.

The Minister stressed that the new plan should clearly define green spaces to reduce pollution and preserve agricultural land for the rising population.

Murad said new housing developments should not be authorised in green areas and that illegal ones should be pulled down.

He also noted that business and commercial operations in cities are crucial to economic stability and can produce jobs in rural communities.

11 districts—Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Okara, Sahiwal, Khanewal, Vehari, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Bahawalpur, and Rahim Yar Khan—are being master planned by the Local Government Department.

The relevant Deputy Commissioners received Land Use Classification Maps for these districts. These districts’ land use plans will meet 20-year needs after approval and notification by concerned officials.

It’s encouraging that authorities are prioritising green space preservation for sustainable urban growth.