The Asian Development Bank is contributing to the greening of urban areas in Punjab in order to improve quality of life and boost competitiveness.
ISLAMABAD — The Punjab government has enlisted the assistance of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in order to construct sustainable and livable mid-level cities by improving the cities’ fundamental infrastructure and services.
According to a brief film that was published by the ADB on Friday, this includes the city of Sialkot, which is a bustling commercial hub that is famous for the production of high-quality surgical tools and footballs.
According to the report, the assistance provided by the ADB for urban development is contributing to Sialkot’s increased competitiveness, the creation of new jobs, and an improvement in the quality of life in the city.
It was also mentioned that the city is responsible for producing more than 70 percent of the footballs in the world. If you’ve ever played football, there’s a good chance the ball you used was manufactured in Sialkot, which is located in Pakistan.
Additionally, the city will supply footballs for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in Doha, Qatar.
The city of Sialkot is a bustling commercial hub that is famous not only for the production of footballs but also for the fabrication of medical tools.
Khwaja Masood Akhtar, the Chairman of Forward Group and Sialkot Airport, stated, “We have consumers from all over the world. They make trips to check out our factory and attend conferences here at our office. Because of this, ensuring that the city’s infrastructure, which includes its roads, railways, airports, and dry ports, is up to standard is of the utmost importance.
In the film, it was emphasised that the Asian Development Bank is assisting to develop emerging cities like Sialkot so that public services can meet the rising demand that is being shown.
In addition to the rehabilitation of the sewage and sanitation systems, the infrastructure for the water supply is being improved so that it can consistently meet demand.
Over 450 tonnes of waste are collected every single day thanks to the assistance of the ADB, and communities are educated on how to better manage their waste.
An activist for social justice from Sialkot named Farkhanda Ishtiaq stated, “We learned about solid waste management at home.” It was incredibly helpful for me since it taught me how to separate the trash from the recyclables in the kitchen.
The city’s parks, footpaths, and terminals are now easier to reach, and there are clean toilets and well-lit walks throughout the city.
