The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has approved 16 development projects worth of Rs 259.68 billion during its meeting chaired by Minister PDSI & Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Ahsan Iqbal

Dated : 28 January 2025

Islamabad, 28th January 2025: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has approved 16 development projects worth of Rs 259.68 billion during its meeting chaired by Minister PDSI & Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Ahsan Iqbal, out of these, 9 projects worth Rs 27.40 billion have been approved by the CDWP forum, while the forum has recommended 7 projects worth Rs. 232.28 billion to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for its consideration /approval.

The meeting was attended by Secretary Planning Awais Manzur Sumra, VC PIDE, Members of the Planning Commission, as well as respective of Federal Secretaries, heads of Provincial and P&D representatives from Federal Ministries and Provincial Governments.

The agenda included discussion on projects of Education & Training, Governance, Higher Education, Mass Media, Physical Planning & Housing, Power and Transport & Communications.

The Deputy Chairman Planning Commission & Minister PDSI Ahsan Iqbal, delivered his opening remarks before the meeting of the Central Development Working Party (CDWP).

He emphasized the government’s vision to transform Pakistan into a knowledge economy under the "Uraan Pakistan" initiative. Highlighting education challenges, he stated, “Over 25 million children in the country are out of school. The Federal Government, in collaboration with Provinces, will take measures to improve the education sector, including the establishment of Danish Schools in remote areas.”

The Minister stressed the collective responsibility of all stakeholders in driving national development. He also paid tribute to Pakistan’s sports talent, declaring Arshad Nadeem a national hero. He remarked, “Despite limited resources, Arshad Nadeem has made the nation proud by winning a gold medal. To honor his achievements, the government is approving the establishment of the 'Arshad Nadeem/Shahbaz Sharif High-Performance Sports Academy' at Jinnah Sports Complex Islamabad. This academy will help nurture more athletes like him to represent Pakistan globally.”

Concluding his remarks, Ahsan Iqbal underscored the importance of monitoring and implementation for national progress, directing his Ministry to ensure the completion of all development projects and exclude incomplete PC-I and return to the Ministries without any delays.

In CDWP meeting five Education and Training sector projects were presented in the meeting, including the following initiatives: “Establishment of Daanish School at Gilgit Baltistan (Kros Thang Mouza Sarfaranga - Shigar)” valued at Rs. 2,962.813 million, “Establishment of Daanish School at Gilgit Baltistan (Sultanabad Jutal)” valued at Rs. 3,004.133 million, “Establishment of Daanish School at Azad Jammu Kashmir (Bhimber)” valued at Rs. 2,999.045 million, and “Construction of Cadet College Kharan (2nd Revised)” valued at Rs. 2.945 million. After detailed discussions, these projects were approved by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) forum.

The "Prime Minister’s Pakistan Fund for Education (Pak-PEF)," a significant initiative in the Education & Training sector, has been referred to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for further consideration. With a total worth of Rs. 14,000 million, the project will be financed through the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). Under this initiative, the government will allocate Rs. 5,000 million annually to the fund. An endowment fund, named the “Prime Minister’s Pakistan Fund for Education,” will be established, and Rs. 3,000 million of this annual allocation will be transferred to the fund. The profits generated from the endowment will be utilized to provide scholarships.

A key governance project, titled "Enhancing Public-Private Partnerships in Pakistan (Provincial Support) Project for Sindh – Revised," worth Rs. 27,853.845 million, was presented at the meeting and has been referred to ECNEC for further consideration. The project is proposed to be financed through a combination of an ADB loan, FCDO grant, and the Government of Sindh’s (GoS) share. The initiative aims to support Government of Sindh’s development objectives by fostering sustainable infrastructure through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). It will enhance the capacity of Government of Sindh to select and develop PPP projects by strengthening key institutions such as the PPP Unit, PPP nodes, and the Project Development Facility (PDF). This includes improving identification of financially viable projects, assessing non-solicited proposals, and boosting financial management practices. The project will ensure transparent procurement processes, regular financial reporting and auditing while managing fiscal risks associated with PPPs. It will establish a disciplined system for accessing the Viability Gap Fund (VGF) and manage contingent liabilities effectively. Additionally, the project will provide resources for pre-feasibility studies and transaction structuring to encourage private sector participation. Strengthening the PPP project management capacity of key departments, including the Finance Department (FD), Planning & Development Departments (P&DD), and the PPP Unit, will also ensure better risk management and integration of fiscal risk strategies into budgetary planning.


A project related to Higher Education presented in the meeting namely “Pak-USAID Merit and Need Based Scholarships Program (Phase-II)” worth Rs. 2954.808 million approved by the CDWP.

A project related to Mass Media presented in the meeting namely “Establishment of Arshad Nadeem/ Shehbaz Sharif High Performance Sports Academy at Pakistan Sports Complex, Islamabad (Prime Minister’s Directive)” worth Rs, 2678.545 million approved by the CDWP forum. The project aims to establish a state-of-the-art High Performance Sports Academy at the Pakistan Sports Complex (PSC) in Islamabad, as part of the Long-Term Athlete Development Program (LTDAP). The academy will provide top-tier training facilities for 50 elite athletes across ten sports disciplines, including athletics, boxing, judo, squash, taekwondo, shooting, weightlifting, wrestling, and table tennis. These athletes will also have the opportunity to continue their academic studies. Selection will be based on a comprehensive screening process conducted in collaboration with the respective National Sports Federations (NSFs). The academy will be equipped with cutting-edge facilities, including athletic tracks, a swimming pool complex, squash courts, a fitness gym, a bio-mechanical lab, and sports medicine services. It was expected that more gold medals in the identified disciplines will be achieved by the beneficiary players in next Olympics.

Three projects related to Physical Planning & Housing sector presented in the meeting namely “Construction of Eastern Wastewater Treatment Plant 44 MGD of Faisalabad City Phase-I (DANIDA Assisted)” worth Rs. 53664.210 million referred to ECNEC for further consideration. The project is proposed being financed through foreign funding by GoP. The scope of work for the Faisalabad East Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) project has been revised to reflect updated specifications. Originally, the project included the rehabilitation of Channel No. 4, construction of a trunk sewer from Channel No. 4 to the inlet of the new WWTP, and construction of Phase 1 of the Faisalabad East WWTP with a capacity of 44 million gallons per day (MGD). The revised scope maintains the rehabilitation of Channel No. 4, the trunk sewer construction, and the construction of the WWTP, with a reduced capacity of 33 MGD for Phase 1. Additionally, the construction of an outlet force main from the Faisalabad East WWTP to the Gogera Branch Canal remaining part of the project. The operation and maintenance period of the WWTP has been adjusted to three years, reduced from the initially planned five years.

Another two projects in the Physical Planning & Housing sector were presented, including “Expo Centre Quetta (Revised)” valued at Rs. 4,829.764 million and “Infrastructure Development of Islamabad Techno Polis” valued at Rs. 1,985.000 million. Both projects were approved by the (CDWP) forum.

A project related to Power sector presented in the meeting namely “220 kV Transmission System Network Reinforcement in Islamabad and Burhan Area” worth Rs. 11315.550 million referred to ECNEC for further consideration. The project revised is proposed to be financed through JICA & NTDC own resources. The project aims to enhance the capacity of the NTDC transmission system by reinforcing and adding 220 kV transmission lines in the Islamabad and Burhan areas. This will help eliminate transmission constraints, ensuring a reliable power supply to meet the growing demand of IESCO and facilitating the dispersal of upcoming generation from Tarbela 5th Extension. The scope includes the replacement of the existing 220 kV Tarbela-Burhan D/C transmission line with a new line using twin bundled Rail conductor over 35.1 km, as well as replacing the 220 kV Tarbela-Burhan D/C line with a Low Loss ACSR conductor for 35 km. Additionally, the 220 kV Burhan-ISPR D/C transmission line will be replaced with a new twin bundled Rail conductor over 27.5 km.

Three projects related to Transport & Communications sector presented in the meeting namely “Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Programme (SFERP-I)” worth Rs. 88404 million referred to ECNEC for further consideration. The revised project is being financed through a combination of funding sources. The Government of Sindh will contribute 10% of the financing through its Annual Development Program (ADP), while the World Bank is expected to provide 90% of the funding, which may include grants & loans under likely terms. The project aims to restore critical infrastructure and improve resilience in various districts of Sindh Province, focusing on road restoration, water supply rehabilitation, and strengthening food security and sustainable livelihoods. It will enhance municipal and rural infrastructure through the construction, extension, and improvement of key facilities. The project will adopt a framework approach to finalize subprojects based on specific selection criteria. Key components include the restoration of roads and water supply schemes, the establishment of adequate water treatment systems, and livelihoods restoration. Additionally, the project will support institutional strengthening for resilience, provide technical assistance, expand the Sindh Emergency Rescue Service, and enhance flood preparedness.

Second project of T&C was presented namely “Dualization of Rawalpindi-Kahuta Road (28.4 km) Including 4 Lane Bridge Over Sihala Railway Pass, Sihala Bypass & Kahuta Bypass and Land Acquisition, Affected Properties Compensation and Relocation of Utilities for Dualization of Rawalpindi-Kahuta Road (28.4 km) Including 4 lane Bridge Over Sihala Railway Pass, Sihala Bypass & Kahuta Bypass (length: 28.4 KMS)” worth Rs. 23545.021 million referred to ECNEC for approval. The revised project will dualize, rehabilitate, and improve 28.4 km road from Sihala to Kahuta, expanding it from a 6-8-meter road into a 4-lane dual carriageway. It includes bypasses at Sihala, Are Syedan, and Kahuta, along with necessary infrastructure like culverts, retaining walls, underpasses, new jersey barriers, and road furniture. The Rawalpindi-Kahuta road, managed by the Punjab Highway Department, is a key route connecting Rawalpindi to Azad Jammu & Kashmir and is used heavily by strategic and defense organizations. The road faces challenges such as traffic congestion at the Sihala railway crossing, heavy oil cargo, and steep slopes near Kahuta.

The third project of T&C was presented namely “Operationalization of Green Line BRTS and Installation of Integrated Intelligent Transport System Equipment” worth Rs. 13502.250 million referred to ECNEC for approval. the project will be finance through PSDP. The amended revised PC-I of the Green Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project outlines the procurement of two major components: buses and the Integrated Intelligent Transport System (IITS) to fully operationalize the service. The 21-kilometer infrastructure from Surjani to Numaish in Karachi is already in place. The project includes acquisition of 80 articulated diesel hybrid air-conditioned buses, each with a capacity of 150+ passengers, carrying up to 300,000 passengers per day with a service life of 10 years. Additionally, IITS equipment will be procured including an Automatic Fare Collection System (AFCS), Fleet Management System, Central Operation Command and Control Center, Real-Time Passenger Information System, Communication Network, and other key components. The project also covers infrastructure maintenance, management of the OCC, bus depots, and stations for three years by SIDCL.