Pakistan's Central Development Working Party approved or recommended seven development projects worth a combined PKR 115.89 billion ($415 million) on Friday, as the government advances its Uraan Pakistan development and reform agenda.
The projects were reviewed at a meeting chaired by Planning Minister and Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Ahsan Iqbal.
How many development projects did Pakistan's CDWP approve?
The CDWP approved five of the seven projects, worth PKR 21.59 billion, while two projects with a combined cost of PKR 94.30 billion were recommended to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council for further consideration.
The projects span food and agriculture, governance, higher education, information technology, sports and water resources.
What did the CDWP approve for olive cultivation?
The CDWP approved a revised PKR 5.015 billion project to promote commercial olive cultivation under its second phase. Iqbal said the initiative, originally launched in 2014 under Vision 2025, should be pursued through a more professional and results-oriented approach, with greater involvement from the private sector.
He said several private-sector companies had already developed successful olive cultivation practices and that their expertise should be incorporated to accelerate commercial production.
The minister identified the Kallar Kahar-Islamabad corridor and the wider Potohar region as areas with strong potential for olive cultivation, and directed that this potential be reflected in the project. The initiative also includes expansion of olive plantations in Balochistan and the newly merged districts, with Iqbal setting a target of one million acres under olive cultivation.
What is the plan to digitalize Pakistan's tax administration?
The CDWP recommended the Federal Board of Revenue's PKR 57.11 billion Transforming and Digitalizing Revenue Administration project to ECNEC. The project is proposed to be financed through foreign funding under Asian Development Bank technical assistance and a soft-term loan. Iqbal stressed the need for clearly defined and measurable outcomes, particularly in revenue collection, improving the tax-to-GDP ratio and broadening the country's taxpayer base.
The FBR told the meeting that the investment was expected to help raise the tax-to-GDP ratio to 13.5% by 2029 and bring more taxpayers into the formal tax system. The project was recommended to ECNEC subject to a review of its business model by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics.
What higher education projects were approved?
The CDWP approved a revised project to establish the Dr Ashfaq Ahmad Khan Center in Basic Sciences under the Higher Education Commission. The project was initially approved in March 2018 as one of eight National Centers of Technologies but remained incomplete because of land-related issues. Iqbal described the delay as unfortunate, noting that the other seven centers, covering artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, big data and cloud computing, GIS and satellite technology, automation and robotics, applied mathematics, and livestock and genomics, had been completed.
He formed a committee to update the proposed center's scope in line with emerging fields and rationalize its cost. The minister also directed the HEC to identify universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan to establish similar centers, one for each province, saying universities should serve as engines of innovation and create ecosystems that support research and commercialization. Iqbal also directed the HEC to upgrade laboratories at five engineering universities, stressing the need for institutions to produce globally competitive graduates.
What satellite and space projects were reviewed?
The CDWP considered two information technology sector projects. A PKR 37.19 billion PakSat-2 Satellite System project was recommended to ECNEC for further consideration, while the CDWP separately approved a PKR 3.62 billion project to establish the GEOSPATIALx COMPLEx, or Geo-AI Development and Innovation Hub. Iqbal said the development of Pakistan's space program was an important pillar of the government's Uraan Pakistan initiative.
What was approved for the Pakistan Sports Complex?
The CDWP approved a PKR 5.76 billion project to revamp and refurbish facilities at the Pakistan Sports Complex in Islamabad. The project includes civil and external development works, refurbishment of existing facilities, establishment of the South Asian Games Secretariat, electrical upgrades, and rehabilitation of HVAC, plumbing, firefighting, and security and surveillance systems.
Iqbal directed that the project summary be submitted to the prime minister for in-principle approval, while also raising concerns about the implementation capacity of the Pakistan Sports Board and calling for clear, single-point responsibility for execution.
What water resources project did the CDWP approve?
The CDWP approved a PKR 338.18 million project to upgrade the high-frequency radio network of the Water Resources Management Directorate of the Water and Power Development Authority.
The project is proposed to be financed through foreign loans and the Public Sector Development Program. Iqbal said stronger communication systems were important for effective water resources management and directed authorities to ensure timely implementation.
The meeting was attended by the secretary planning, chief economist, vice chancellor of PIDE, members of the Planning Commission, federal secretaries, heads of provincial planning and development departments, and senior officials from relevant federal and provincial institutions.
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