CDWP Approves Development Projects Worth Rs11.714 Billion

Islamabad: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP), chaired by Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, reviewed five development projects worth Rs60.259 billion under the Uraan Pakistan vision. The forum approved three projects worth Rs11.714 billion, while two major projects with a combined cost of Rs48.545 billion were referred to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for final approval. These included a Rs4.92 billion project for establishing a Medical and Nursing College in Gilgit, aimed at improving quality healthcare in remote and mountainous areas.

The CDWP also approved a Rs2.75 billion project for the National Defence University FCS Campus and a Rs4.03 billion project for the construction of the 53.4-kilometre Zeera-Dabouri Road in Orakzai district. Ahsan Iqbal directed that funds for the Orakzai road project be released before winter to ensure timely completion. He also urged universities to focus research efforts on achieving the target of $100 billion in exports by 2035.

Two major projects were forwarded to ECNEC, including the Rs19.54 billion Karachi Neighborhood Improvement Project and the Rs29 billion project to supply water to Gwadar from Mirani Dam. The CDWP directed the formation of a committee to ensure effective and transparent use of foreign funding and allowed the Gwadar water supply project to enter the tendering stage to save time. Ahsan Iqbal also ordered an immediate study for treating excess water in Gwadar, stressing that the city’s sea would not be allowed to become polluted with sewage water like Karachi.