Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has sought broader cooperation with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to expand development initiatives across the province, with a focus on water supply, healthcare, education and women’s empowerment.
The proposal was discussed during a meeting between the chief minister and JICA President Dr Akihiko Tanaka in Lahore, where both sides reviewed the progress of ongoing JICA-funded projects and explored new areas of collaboration.
Maryam Nawaz called for replicating the successful Faisalabad Water Supply Project in other cities of Punjab with JICA’s technical and financial support. She said the provincial government was keen to strengthen cooperation in water supply, sanitation and urban infrastructure to improve public services.
The meeting also focused on expanding collaboration in education, healthcare, nutrition, women’s empowerment and human resource development. Both sides stressed the importance of improving access to education, particularly for girls and children from underserved communities.
The chief minister appreciated JICA’s longstanding support for maternal and child healthcare programmes and acknowledged the agency’s contribution to technology transfer, professional training and institutional reforms, saying these initiatives had helped strengthen governance and public service delivery in Punjab.
JICA President Dr Akihiko Tanaka reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to broadening its partnership with the Punjab government and expressed its willingness to continue supporting projects aimed at improving the quality of life through sustainable development initiatives in the province.
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