MIANWALI: The beautification of Mianwali city, including installation of 10 beautiful monuments at the busy roundabouts in and outside the city, is in progress under the supervision of the deputy commissioner.

Big colourful flower pots have been placed along the road while on the greenbelts between dual roads foxtail palms have been planted and they have been illuminated with colorful electric lights, giving an awesome look at night. All the streetlights on the main roads have been made functional.

As per the tribal traditions, all bazaars of the city used to close by the sunset and streets would give a deserted look. But now people have started coming out with families at night to see the illuminating monuments, trees and dancing fountains.

DC Khalid Javed Goraya personally selected the monuments for each roundabout.

As a part of the campaign, two roundabouts near Chashma Barrage and Chashma lake have got monuments of a fish and a pelican bird. As one enters Mianwali city, the first impression spellbinds the visitor is a monument of beautiful arches at Hazrat Sultan Zakriya Chowk, which connects Mianwali-Lahore and Mianwali-Multan roads. The road to the city has plants and trees on its greenbelts.

Work is in progress at the Thal Canal passing through the city and there is a plan to install plants on both banks of the canal besides there would be chairs along the canal and dancing fountains with colourful lights. Three bridges over Thal Canal connecting city are under-construction for widening the existing bridges,

The deputy commissioner was informed that some projects under the beautification package were started by the outgoing government and all projects got halted due to stoppage of funds with the change of the government. He made efforts and got the funds released from Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for completion of halted projects, which were all now near completion.

DC Goraya decided to change the look of the city which was facing constant sanitation problems, heaps of garbage, overflowing gutters, absence of streetlights etc and made a plan to beautify the city with support of ADCG Salman Ahmed Loon who is administrator of municipal committee.

Speaking to Dawn, Mr Goraya says that apart from beautification projects, they have set up waiting sheds for passengers at Mianwali and Kundian Chowks. He says the slaughterhouse has been renovated and upgraded with all modern facilities while public toilets would be constructed at various public places and parks.

Replying to a question about the follow-up of these changes, the DC says the administration made the municipality responsible to look after the plants and monuments.

Social worker Obaidullah Malik says it’s first time in his life that he has seen all streetlights functional in his city.

A senior lawyer and political activist, Muhammad Akram Malik, says that the ruling party had lost all MNAs and MPAs seats in the district during last two general elections consecutively but present scenes of beautification beside completion of Mianwali package will certainly attract voters in favour of ruling party in the future to some extent.

He says more developments projects like a medical college, women university and proper place for university of Mianwali are needed for the people of the district.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2025