Punjab has long been recognised for maintaining a relatively effective sanitation and cleanliness infrastructure, particularly when compared with other urban centres across the country. Under the leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Lahore—and by extension other major cities of Punjab—has served as a testing ground for new technologies and partnerships with foreign companies aimed at keeping streets clean, ensuring regular garbage collection, maintaining sewage systems, and fostering a healthier environment. While challenges remain, especially in smaller towns beyond Punjab’s major hubs, the province’s consistent lead in this area deserves acknowledgement, as it has become a key pillar of the PML-N’s governance record and electoral strategy.
This legacy is now being carried forward by Chief Minister Punjab, Maryam Nawaz. During her recent visit to Japan, she toured several waste treatment facilities and explored avenues for partnerships with Japanese firms to bring advanced sanitation technologies to Punjab. Just as the current Prime Minister once partnered with Turkey’s Ozpak to establish a modern waste collection system in Lahore, Maryam Nawaz now appears intent on forging similar collaborations with Japan. This is both a practical and forward-looking approach, given the environmental and public health benefits it promises, as well as the diplomatic value it carries.
Pakistan and Japan may not share extensive geopolitical alignments, but such partnerships at the municipal and provincial levels are neutral, constructive, and mutually beneficial. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz deserves credit for this initiative, and there is hope that these collaborations will soon translate into cleaner cities and improved living standards for the people of Punjab.