MULTAN: Provincial Minister for Local Government and Community Development (LG&CD) Zeeshan Rafique said on Saturday that the Multan division would finalize its waste management outsourcing process by February 12.

He said contractors had been issued a strict one-month deadline to achieve a ‘zero waste’ target in the region. Presiding over a meeting here, he said the Punjab government had launched the transformative ‘Suthra Punjab’ campaign aimed at making the province waste-free. The campaign’s core strategy was complete outsourcing of waste management system, an ambitious move set to modernize sanitation across Punjab, Zeeshan added.

He said that the initiative had already seen deployment of advanced machinery across all tehsils of the division’s four districts, ensuring immediate relief for residents. He highlighted that innovative steps, such as the geo-tagging of garbage disposal sites and landfills, had been implemented to streamline operations.

Meanwhile, a new mobile app, ‘Suthra Punjab Shehri’, was now available to residents, guaranteeing resolution of complaints within two hours. Citizens could also report waste-related issues through the dedicated helpline, 1139, ensuring comprehensive coverage for urban and rural areas alike.