The Senate Standing Committee on Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives was informed that a proposal to dissolve the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority is under consideration as the authority is currently dysfunctional.
During the meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Planning, chaired by Senator Quratul Ain Marri, Secretary of the Ministry of Planning and Development, Awais Manzur Sumra, stated that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has referred the matter to the federal government’s rightsizing committee, and the ministry has recommended repealing the CPEC Authority Act.
The committee passed a private member’s bill to include one representative each from the Senate and National Assembly in the CPEC Authority. The bill, moved by Senator Mohammad Abdul Qadir, highlighted the ongoing discussions about dissolving the authority.Â
After deliberations, the committee unanimously approved the bill.
Separately, the committee reviewed updates on Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The planning division secretary reported that 35% of funds for seven projects in KP had been authorized for two quarters.Â
However, the Ministry of Finance revealed that funds for only three projects had been released—one in the first quarter and two in the second—based on requests from the KP government.
The Ministry of Finance further noted delays in processing funds for four projects under PSDP 2024-25 due to expired execution periods, for which it has sought updates from the KP government.
Chairperson Quratul Ain Marri raised concerns about the non-utilization of allocated funds, stressing that communication gaps must be addressed immediately to avoid losses that impact the public. She also highlighted KP’s incomplete receipt of the Rs100 billion annual commitment following the FATA merger.
