Evidence-Based Planning, Effective Use of Public Resources Vital for Balanced Development: Commissioner Sahiwal
Independent report
OKARA: Commissioner Sahiwal Division Dr. Asif Tufail has stressed the need for determining development priorities on the basis of reliable data and ensuring the effective utilisation of public resources, describing MICS 2025 as an important milestone for evidence-based policymaking and balanced regional development.
The remarks were made during the MICS 2025 Launch – Sahiwal Division ceremony, organised through collaboration between the Punjab Government and UNICEF at Jinnah Hall, Arts Council Sahiwal, under the theme “Measuring What Matters for Punjab’s Future”.
Addressing the gathering as the chief speaker, Dr. Asif Tufail said that reliable statistics and evidence-based planning were essential for effective governance, public welfare and sustainable development. He emphasised that understanding the actual needs of children, women and households was necessary for setting appropriate policy priorities and improving living standards.
He said the findings of MICS 2025 would provide important guidance for balanced regional development and the efficient allocation of resources in accordance with public needs.
Director Statistics Punjab Shams-ul-Huda, UNICEF representative Nauman Ghani, Deputy Commissioner Sahiwal Captain (Retd.) Samiullah Farooq, Deputy Commissioner Okara Muhammad Ikram Malik, Deputy Commissioner Pakpattan Asif Raza, DPO Sahiwal Usman Tipu and officers from various government departments attended the ceremony.
During the event, key findings of the MICS Punjab 2025 report were presented, covering various social and economic indicators relating to children, women and households. Participants were briefed on the situation regarding health, education, access to basic facilities and living standards.
A comparative analysis of the three districts of Sahiwal Division — Sahiwal, Okara and Pakpattan — was also presented alongside data from other districts and divisions of Punjab. The analysis highlighted development trends, regional disparities and areas requiring further attention.
Dr. Asif Tufail said development planning must take into account local needs and ground realities. He observed that comprehensive surveys such as MICS help the government identify areas where children, women and households require greater attention and improved facilities.
He added that reliable data could help determine appropriate development priorities, ensure fair distribution of resources and assess the outcomes of government initiatives.
The Commissioner stressed that survey findings should not remain confined to reports and statistics but should be incorporated into the practical planning, policymaking and administrative decisions of relevant departments.
He called for a coordinated institutional approach to improving health, education and social development so that equal development opportunities and better access to basic facilities could be ensured across all three districts of Sahiwal Division.
He further said that evidence-based governance aimed to ensure that the benefits of government decisions reached every section of society and every region, adding that reliable data, effective institutional coordination and well-defined development priorities were essential for public welfare and balanced regional progress.
