Comparative Analysis of SDG-Aligned Performance Indicators across Major Cities of Punjab

Abstract

The study aims to evaluate socio-economic, cultural, environmental, and infrastructural disparities across six major cities of Punjab—Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan, Sargodha, and Bahawalpur—through the lens of SDG-aligned performance indicators to inform sustainable development policies. Punjab's cities exhibit significant variations in development trajectories, with urban centers like Lahore experiencing rapid economic growth and resource consumption, while rural cities like Sargodha and Bahawalpur lag behind in infrastructure and economic opportunities. Data was collected from the Bureau of Statistics, open datasets, the Compendium of Environmental Statistics, and utility centers of the respective cities. Descriptive and exploratory data analysis techniques were applied to compare city-level performance across sustainability dimensions. Lahore’s rapid urbanization leads to high GDP and resource consumption but causes significant environmental degradation. Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, and Multan struggle to balance industrial growth with environmental sustainability, while rural cities face challenges in socio-economic development. Tailored policy measures, including promoting green industrial practices, equitable resource allocation, and infrastructure development, are essential to foster balanced and inclusive growth across Punjab’s cities.