Quality assurance panels to monitor projects
The Punjab Housing, Urban Development and Public Health Engineering Department has established Quality Assurance Committees in all key subordinate agencies and development authorities across the province.
Official sources confirmed that these committees will operate within Water and Sanitation Agencies (WASAs), Parks and Horticulture Authorities, and Development Authorities.
Their primary mandate is to monitor project execution, verify adherence to technical standards, and provide consistent feedback to improve ongoing and future development schemes.
Each committee will include departmental engineers, quality control officers, and administrative staff to ensure a comprehensive review of project implementation.
Reports from these committees will be regularly submitted to the Housing Department's central monitoring cell for oversight and any required corrective actions.
This quality control initiative follows the earlier creation of a high-level Search Committee tasked with ensuring merit-based recruitment of top positions, such as Directors General, Managing Directors, and Chief Engineers.
Chaired by Housing Minister Bilal Yasin, the committee evaluates service records and seniority to ensure that appointments reflect capability and integrity.
Additionally, the department has established an Internal Accountability Board, operating under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability (PEEDA) Act.
This board will investigate complaints of corruption and misconduct within the department and its subsidiaries, enforces internal discipline, audits compliance, and advises on policy reforms.
Commenting on the department's multi-layered reforms, Housing Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal said: "The Quality Assurance Committees are another critical step toward institutionalising excellence in public service. When combined with the Search Committee and Internal Accountability Board, we are creating a governance model rooted in merit, integrity, and public trust."
He stressed the importance of responsible use of public funds, noting that billions of rupees are invested annually in housing and sanitation projects.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
Committee constituted to check cannabis misuse
Listen to article In a bid to check the misuse of cannabis and market manipulation, the government has formed a high-level committee to examine the proposed National Cannabis Control and Regulatory Policy, 2025 carefully from the perspective of international best practices. The cabinet, in a recent meeting, constituted the committee, led by the minister for defence. During discussion, while appreciating the timely formulation of the national cannabis policy, aimed at reaping economic benefits from the regulated cultivation of its plants and the manufacturing and sale of its derivatives for medicinal and industrial use, the cabinet observed that it was for the first time that such a policy was being introduced in Pakistan. Therefore, it was necessary to examine it very carefully to ensure that no loophole was left in the policy framework, which could be exploited and undermine the purpose and objectives of the policy. The committee will scrutinise the proposed policy framework to identify and remove loopholes, if any. It will assess the adequacy of safeguards to prevent the misuse of cannabis plants, its products or derivatives along the supply chain. It will also estimate the optimal human resources requirement of the Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority, including financial implications. The committee will identify any overlaps or incompatibilities between federal and provincial policies or administrative or legal domains that require resolution, and examine any matter ancillary to the policy. The federal government will, from time to time, prepare and prescribe a national policy governing all aspects of the cannabis plant market from cultivation to sale and production as well as export and import of cannabis or its derivatives. It may seek input and assistance from the regulatory authority and provincial governments. The cabinet was informed that the Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority had initially submitted a draft National Cannabis Policy, 2025 to regulate its cultivation and promote new cultivation sites for medicinal and industrial purposes as well as development of the value chain from cultivation to product manufacturing. The policy had been approved by all stakeholders, including all provincial governments, in the eighth meeting of the apex committee of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and endorsed by the board of governors of the regulatory authority on December 26, 2024, following which the board advised its submission to the cabinet for approval, as stipulated under Section 13 of the Act. It was brought to the cabinet's notice that through a letter dated February 7, 2025, the Cabinet Division requested the regulatory authority to resubmit the National Cannabis Policy, 2025 after review by the newly appointed director general of the authority. Later, the authority submitted a refined version of the draft policy titled "National Cannabis Control and Regulatory Policy, 2025," after review by the DG and endorsement by the board of governors. The draft policy was submitted to the prime minister, who gave directives to seek input from provincial governments and get the policy vetted by the Law Division. In compliance with the directives, the regulatory authority, through a letter dated May 29, 2025, submitted the following: The authority has ensured full compliance with Section 13 of the Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority Act, 2024 and the National Cannabis Control and Regulatory Policy, 2025 has undergone extensive deliberations across three sessions of the board of governors held on August 7, 2024, December 26, 2024 and April 9, 2025. The final approval was unanimously granted during the third board of governors' meeting. These sessions were attended by all federal and provincial representatives, including the ex-officio members from the respective provincial governments. The cabinet was also informed that the Ministry of Law had endorsed the draft policy. The regulatory authority's DG gave a detailed presentation, including the background, objectives, administrative structure, licensing regime and execution framework to operationalise the policy and the envisaged modes of financing.
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business Recorder
NJHP tunnel collapse costs Rs35bn: Nespak
ISLAMABAD: The National Engineering Services Pakistan (Nespak) on Friday revealed that one tunnel of Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric Project collapsed, causing physical damage of around Rs35 billion, besides over Rs100 billion losses due to non-power generation. This was revealed before the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, which was chaired by Rana Mahmood ul Hassan, here on Friday. Nespak officials informed the committee a tunnel of the Neelum-Jhelum project has collapsed. Three committees have been formed to inquire into the matter, said Nespak officials, adding that physical damage of Rs35 billion occurred. Further a loss of over Rs100 billion resulted due to lack of electricity generation. The location where the tunnel is located is 5.5 km below, said the officials, adding that it was being examined that whether the fault lies with the project consultants or the geological conditions of the site. A briefing was also given by the managing director Nespak on the organisation's performance over the past three years. The committee was apprised that Nespak has successfully undertaken 4,822 projects both domestically and internationally. Of these, 595 projects were completed internationally in 40 countries, including Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros Islands, Dominica, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Yemen, Papua New Guinea, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, UAE, Uganda, and Uzbekistan. Non-availability of NJHP project: Consumers overpaid Rs167.787bn for costly power NESPAK has also entered into joint ventures with renowned foreign and local firms on a project-to-project and long-term basis, which have proven beneficial to all stakeholders involved. The matter was deferred. The committee directed a list of NESPAK's ongoing projects for review in the next session. The committee also considered The Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2025, introduced by Senator Dr Afnanullah Khan. He explained that the bill seeks to allocate one per cent of the authority's annual fund to corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. These may include the establishment of rehabilitation centres for drug addicts, skill development and employment generation, poverty alleviation, and efforts to promote gender equality and empower women. It was also presented that the authority shall ensure transparency and accountability in the use of CSR funds, per the rules and regulations to be formulated under the Act. After a thorough discussion, the committee decided to defer the bill. The committee directed the Cannabis Authority to submit its recommendations on the proposed amendments after placing them before its board. The committee then took up Starred Question No 27, raised by Senator Shahadat Awan in the Senate session held on July 25, concerning the criteria adopted by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority for enforcing roll-out obligations in the absence of a formal regulation or framework regarding right-of-way. After deliberation, the committee decided to defer the matter and invite the Ministry of Information Technology to the next meeting for a comprehensive briefing on the policy framework currently in place. The remaining agenda items were deferred due to the absence of members. The session was attended by senators, Farooq Hamid Naek, Fawzia Arshad, Dr Afnanullah Khan, and Shahadat Awan. As well as special invitees, senators, Bilal Khan Mandokhel and Sardar Al Haj Muhammad Umer Gorgaij. The committee took up key legislative and oversight matters concerning regulatory frameworks, national development initiatives, and institutional performance. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Express Tribune
NCSW hosts consultative session on dowry
In line with the ongoing review of family laws, National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) convened the second national consultation on the Dowry and Bridal Gifts (Restriction) Act, 1976. The session is part of a series of legal reform consultations, following directives from the Sub-Committee of the National Assembly Gender Mainstreaming. The consultation was chaired by NCSW Chairperson Ume Laila Azhar and brought together key stakeholders from several ministries and divisions directly associated with the subject discussed.
