Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has instructed the Aviation Ministry to expedite the outsourcing process for Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi airports.
Chairing a review meeting with the Public-Private Partnership Authority (P3A), the minister evaluated progress on 13 directives issued by the prime minister for public interest projects.
The Aviation Ministry reported that bids for Islamabad airport are under evaluation by the Technical Evaluation Committee of the Pakistan Airports Authority, while due diligence for Lahore and Karachi airports has been submitted to P3A.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has paused expansion work at Lahore airport and is in talks with a UAE-based company, with a meeting planned soon.
Iqbal also tasked the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) with creating a focused agenda to review Rs 29 billion worth of projects involving Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Azerbaijan. Highlighting the need for export expansion, he emphasized, “Foreign investment must be targeted through bankable propositions to achieve the strategic mission of SIFC.”
Addressing Karachi Port’s cargo challenges, the minister directed the Ministry of Maritime Affairs to engage Karachi Port Trust officials to discuss developing a new freight corridor. With a limited seven-hour cargo movement window and no rail cargo alternatives, Iqbal stressed the urgency of creating this corridor. He also instructed P3A to organize a joint meeting with the Commerce and Railways ministries to coordinate efforts.
On the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) project for a modern slaughterhouse, officials informed the minister that the technical feasibility study is complete, and bid openings for a transaction advisor are scheduled for next week. He urged expedited action to avoid delays.
The Ministry of Food Security was tasked with fast-tracking food storage facilities in Dera Ghazi Khan and Bahawalpur, where inspections revealed non-functional units. “Stable food supply is critical to preventing price shocks. These facilities must ensure market stability,” Iqbal said.
The CDA also briefed on resolving issues hindering hotel development in Islamabad and was directed to accelerate the auctioning of land leases. To ensure streamlined implementation, Iqbal called for a dedicated committee to establish timelines for P3A projects.
Among key P3A initiatives discussed were three critical to Balochistan’s development: the N25 Highway, the M8 Motorway, and the DI Khan-Zhob-Quetta Road. The meeting reaffirmed the government’s focus on infrastructure and public service improvements through public-private partnerships.
