The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has approved 15 development projects worth Rs518.972 billion, with six projects totaling Rs22.487 billion given final approval and nine projects worth Rs496.485 billion recommended for further consideration by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).
The CDWP meeting, chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, took place at the P-Block Secretariat on Friday.
Among the approvals were four higher education projects, including the “Uplifting of Academic and Infrastructure Facilities at Hazara University” with a cost of Rs2.8 billion, and the “Establishment of Women Sub-Campus at Batkhela, University of Malakand” costing Rs1.34 billion.
Minister Ahsan Iqbal emphasised the importance of increasing foreign student admissions and called for more scholarships, particularly from Central Asia, Africa, and the Global South, to strengthen Pakistan’s higher education sector as a form of soft power.
A significant education project, the “System Transformation Grant (STG)-New” worth Rs10.605 billion, was referred to ECNEC for further evaluation. This project, funded by the World Bank, aims to improve access and quality of education, in line with Pakistan’s commitment to achieving SDG 4 on inclusive education.
In the health sector, the “Jinnah Medical Complex and Research Center” project, with a cost of Rs1.43 billion, was approved. Additionally, two projects in physical planning and housing were discussed, including the “Flood Response Emergency Housing Project” (Phase III) worth Rs42.09 billion, which aims to rebuild flood-affected homes in Sindh.
The meeting also reviewed social welfare projects, including the “Sindh Coastal Resilience Project” (SCRP) worth Rs30.915 billion, which focuses on climate-resilient livelihoods for vulnerable communities in Sindh. The “Karachi Water & Sewerage Services Improvement Project” (KWSSIP) Phase-II, worth Rs185.895 billion, was referred to ECNEC to enhance Karachi’s water and sewerage systems.
Regarding projects in the Special Areas of AJK and GB, the “Construction of Road from Pissan to Hoper Nagar” project, costing Rs13.76 billion, was referred to ECNEC for final approval.
Minister Iqbal reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to Sindh’s development, emphasizing the need to expedite the implementation of ongoing projects to ensure timely benefits for the people of the province.
