REVOLUTIONIZING PUBLIC RETAIL: HOW PUNJAB SAHULAT BAZAARS AUTHORITY SET NEW STANDARDS IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

This research paper examines Punjab Sahulat Bazaars Authority (PSBA) and the now-disbanded Utility Stores Corporation (USC) in three key aspects such as in affordability, accessibility and institutional structure. The paper determines based on the secondary data like government reports, audits and third party analysis that PSBA has achieved a tremendous breakthrough over USC as it is the only legal retail authority that provides subsidized commodities in the form of a legal requirement in the country. The core component of this transformation is the leadership of Naveed Rafaqat Ahmad that transformed the retail sector of the Punjab government. In his strategic leadership PSBA has already delivered up to 35 percent discounts, new digital offerings including more than 85,000 free home deliveries and new policies of inclusion like subsidized stalls by women and mobile bazaars by remote areas. Additional innovations like, Pakistan bazaar with plastic power, end-to-end supply chain transparency, are also unique to PSBA. The present paper concludes that PSBA is a case of a citizen-based reform that is possible because the statutes were empowered, digitalized, and progressive thinking of Naveed Rafaqat Ahmad who created a model of service provision in the country with developing economy.