Pakistan’s Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Thursday approved six development projects worth PKR 16.9 billion and referred six major projects valued at PKR 418.8 billion to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), as the government accelerated implementation of its URAAN Pakistan economic transformation agenda.
The meeting, chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives and Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Ahsan Iqbal, reviewed a series of projects spanning the power, information technology, housing and water sectors.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Planning, the projects are aimed at strengthening infrastructure, improving governance, enhancing energy security and promoting sustainable economic growth under the government’s broader development strategy.
Among the approved schemes were five power-sector projects involving the installation of Asset Performance Management Systems (APMS) for electricity distribution transformers in the service areas of SEPCO, QESCO, PESCO and HAZECO, along with a capacity-building project linked to the Boosting Energy Security through Transmission in Pakistan (BEST-PAK) program. The approved projects carry a combined cost of around PKR 14 billion.
Two major power-sector projects, including the PKR 24.1 billion APMS project for LESCO and the PKR 195 billion Installation of Reactive Power Compensation Devices in the National Grid Company network, were referred to ECNEC for final approval.
During the meeting, Iqbal directed authorities to standardize project cost estimates across major power distribution companies and ensure proper load assessments before project execution. He also called for the inclusion of procurement specialists in mega infrastructure projects.
“Energy security remains one of the central pillars of the Government’s URAAN Pakistan initiative,” Iqbal said, emphasizing the need for modern power infrastructure, digital asset management systems and upgraded transmission networks to reduce losses and improve electricity supply reliability.
The CDWP also approved the PKR 2.89 billion Smart Islamabad Initiative (Phase-I), which aims to establish an integrated smart governance and security platform using advanced technologies to improve coordination among government agencies and enhance public service delivery in the federal capital.
Iqbal directed officials to clearly define sector-wise outcomes of the project in its planning documents to facilitate impact assessment and monitoring.
Among projects referred to ECNEC was the Punjab Urban Land Systems Enhancement Project (PULSE), costing PKR 43.08 billion and proposed to be financed by the World Bank. The project seeks to modernize land administration through digitization of land records, cadastral mapping, land surveys and the development of a digital property management system.
The minister instructed officials to reconcile the impact of exchange-rate variations with the Government of Punjab before submitting the project for final approval.
Another major project referred to ECNEC was the PKR 60.49 billion Wastewater Treatment Plant at Babu Sabu in Lahore, which is expected to be financed with support from the French Development Agency (AFD). The project aims to treat Lahore’s sewage before discharge, reducing pollution and improving environmental and public health outcomes.
The forum also referred the revised PKR 64.1 billion Jalalpur Irrigation Canal Project and its associated system to ECNEC. The project is largely financed by the Asian Development Bank, which is contributing nearly 87% of the total cost.
In addition, the revised Southern Punjab Poverty Alleviation Project, valued at PKR 32.1 billion and supported by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), was recommended for ECNEC approval. The project is designed to support poverty reduction, infrastructure development and economic empowerment in remote districts of southern Punjab.
Officials said the projects support the government’s URAAN Pakistan 5Es National Economic Transformation Plan, which focuses on economic growth, infrastructure development, social equity, governance reforms and human capital development.
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