Lahore: Special Assistant to Chief Minister (SACM) Punjab for Food Safety Salma Butt has said the Sahiwal Fruit and Vegetable Market would be shifted to its new site this month, as its development work had been completed and construction of sheds at the main platforms was in the final stages.
She was presiding over a meeting of the Punjab Agricultural Marketing Regulatory Authority (PAMRA), here on Tuesday, attended by Secretary Food Safety Dr Kiran Khurshid, PAMRA Director General Zeeshan Nasrullah and other senior officers.
The meeting reviewed progress on the development project, construction work, auction of plots and relocation of the Sahiwal Fruit and Vegetable Market to its new site.
The meeting was informed that the market’s development project had remained stalled since 2018 due to shortage of funds. Following special intervention by Salma Butt, development activities were resumed in 2025.
The meeting was further informed that construction and development work at the market had been completed, while sheds at the main platforms were nearing completion and would be completed within the next two to three weeks.
SACM Salma Butt said consultations with all stakeholders regarding relocation had been completed and consensus had been reached for a smooth shifting of the market to the new site this month.
Secretary Food Safety Dr Kiran Khurshid told the meeting that the auction of market plots had resumed after a 10-year hiatus. As many as 55 plots were auctioned during July, August and September 2026, fetching Rs895 million.
Of the total auction proceeds, Rs286 million had so far been received, while Rs609 million remained outstanding. One-third of the auction proceeds was required to be deposited in the Market Committee Fund within three days.
Salma Butt said legal and financial hurdles to the Sahiwal market development project had been removed, paving the way for practical progress on the scheme. She said completion and relocation of the market would provide traders and other stakeholders with improved business facilities.
The shifting of the fruit and vegetable market to the new site would also help make the system of buying and selling fruits and vegetables more organised and efficient while providing better facilities to traders and consumers.