Punjab Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman chairs Cabinet Standing Committee on Legislation and Privatization's meeting

Punjab Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman chaired the 36th meeting of Cabinet Standing Committee on Legislation and Privatization here at Civil Secretariat on Tuesday

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Jun, 2026) Punjab Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman chaired the 36th meeting of Cabinet Standing Committee on Legislation and Privatization here at Civil Secretariat on Tuesday.

Provincial Minister for Communications and Works Malik Sohaib Ahmed Bherth, Provincial Minister for Information and Culture Azma Bukhari, along with senior officials from the relevant government departments attended the meeting.

The committee approved more than eight key recommendations concerning significant legal and administrative matters presented by various departments. Among the major approvals were the extension of the agreement between the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and Punjab Home Department, the preparation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Planning and Development Board and AQUA, proposed amendments to the Punjab Private Housing Schemes Rules 2022, the Punjab Legal Aid Rules 2025, and the Punjab Criminal Prosecution Service Rules 2007, as well as the drafting of Punjab Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Act 2025.

The committee also endorsed the submission of an agreement to Provincial Cabinet for establishment of Material Testing Laboratories in Gujranwala and Sialkot in collaboration with the Urban Development Unit.

Addressing the meeting, Punjab Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman emphasized that transforming Punjab's youthful population into a skilled, productive, and globally competitive workforce is one of the government's foremost priorities. He observed, the country is facing not merely a shortage of employment opportunities but, more importantly, a shortage of adequately trained and market-ready human resources. In this context, he stressed that the promotion of technical and vocational education alongside formal education has become imperative.

The Finance Minister described the establishment of the Skills Development and Entrepreneurship Department by the Chief Minister of Punjab as a visionary reform initiative aimed at developing a world-class workforce and equipping young people with the skills demanded by evolving international labour markets. He said that all skills development institutions are being integrated under a unified administrative framework to ensure optimum utilization of resources and improve the effectiveness of government investments in human capital development.

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He further highlighted that, besides imparting technical and vocational training, the new department will facilitate the placement of skilled graduates in both domestic and international employment markets. He noted that the export of skilled manpower would strengthen the local economy, create sustainable employment opportunities, and contribute to increased foreign exchange earnings. Reaffirming the Punjab Government's commitment, he stated that comprehensive measures would continue to be undertaken to empower youth and combat poverty and unemployment across the province.

Speaking on the occasion, Provincial Minister for Information and Culture Azma Bukhari said that the Chief Minister of Punjab is spearheading comprehensive institutional reforms across government departments to enhance governance standards and improve public service delivery. She emphasized that all future recruitment in the public sector would be conducted strictly on merit, while promotions should be determined by performance and professional competence rather than seniority alone. Employees who fail to demonstrate satisfactory performance, she added, should not be entitled to career advancement.

Highlighting the significance of the proposed Legal Aid Agency, Azma Bukhari stated that its primary objective is to ensure equal access to justice and legal protection for underprivileged and marginalized segments of society. She proposed that the performance of legal practitioners associated with the agency should be assessed on the quality of their legal arguments and the effectiveness of their representation, rather than merely on courtroom attendance.

The Provincial Minister also recommended that skills development initiatives currently being implemented under the Social Welfare Department and other welfare institutions should be aligned with the Skills Development and Entrepreneurship Department. She observed that equipping vulnerable and destitute women with modern, market-oriented skills would enable them to achieve genuine economic independence and long-term self-reliance.