CDWP approves Rs4.3bn for National Center for Manufacturing

The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) approved a budget of Rs4,289.88 million, including a foreign exchange component (FEC) of Rs2,901.25 million, for the establishment of the National Center for Manufacturing. 

The project is set to be completed by June 30, 2027.

Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, who chaired the CDWP meeting, emphasized the strategic importance of the centre for advancing Pakistan’s manufacturing capabilities.

In addition, the CDWP approved the revised cost of Rs485.998 million for the Bayt-ul-Hikmah project at the National University of Modern Languages (NUML). 

Minister Iqbal noted that the Bayt-ul-Hikmah initiative would position Pakistan as a global knowledge hub by facilitating the translation of world-class books into local languages, and vice versa. He directed the formation of a steering committee to identify key books for translation and the selection of talent to undertake the task.

The meeting also reviewed progress on the establishment of the China-Pakistan Joint Research Centre (CPJR) on Earth Sciences at Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, and the Dr. A.Q. Khan Institute of Materials and Emerging Sciences. 

The planning minister underscored the critical role of material sciences in shaping future production technologies and called for the appointment of a leading expert in the field to guide the project. He emphasized that the project leader must be aligned with global competitive standards to ensure the initiative’s success.

The CDWP also discussed the Quality Assurance Framework for Higher Education in Pakistan. The minister called for enhanced regulation of academic departments to improve the performance of higher education institutions. He directed the preparation of a roadmap for performance audits of universities, focusing on seven key themes: academic quality and curricula, research, innovation, and entrepreneurship, academic-industry linkages, technology infrastructure, corporate governance and finance, community service and engagement, and graduate quality and employability.

Additionally, Prof. Iqbal instructed the Vice Chancellor of Quaid-e-Azam University to submit a detailed plan within seven days for the establishment of the A.Q. Khan Institute of Materials and Emerging Sciences, reiterating the need for top material science experts to be involved to meet international standards.

The minister also inquired about the status of nine Seerat Chairs across various universities in Pakistan. He emphasized that these positions, to be filled through the Higher Education Commission (HEC), should be occupied by internationally recognized Islamic scholars, urging the process to be expedited for timely implementation.