ISLAMABAD: Director of the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Transport Sector Group, Chen Chen, Tuesday, met with the Minister for Planning and discussed the ADB’s ongoing support for Pakistan’s transport sector, future development plans, and the challenges facing the sector.
The ADB delegation included senior officers and specialists from the Transport Sector Group, while the Ministry of Planning was represented by the Member for Infrastructure Waqas Anwar and senior officials from the infrastructure department.
The meeting focused on ADB’s ongoing support for Pakistan’s transport sector, future development plans, and the challenges facing the sector.
During the meeting, Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal emphasised the importance of road and rail connectivity projects in Pakistan, noting that the country is in the process of finalising a comprehensive regional connectivity multi-modal plan. He welcomed the ADB’s input in this regard, stating that it would greatly enhance the work already completed by Pakistan.
While discussing the 2022 floods, the minister highlighted that Pakistan suffered $30 billion in damages. He lamented the inadequate international response, noting that critical programmes in education, health, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) had to be repurposed to address flood relief efforts. He stressed that Pakistan should not bear the brunt of conventional financing losses due to these disasters, particularly as the country did not receive sufficient support from nations responsible for exacerbating climate change.
The minister further expressed Pakistan’s strong interest in enhancing the capacity of its railways through modern technology and emphasised the need for prioritising connectivity projects that align with the National Agenda Reforms. He also urged the revival and review of several key projects related to railways, transport, and maritime infrastructure that had been approved in 2018 but were stalled under the previous government.
Additionally, the minister recommended that the ADB establish a knowledge-sharing system to allow countries around the world to easily access and learn from its models and experiences.
Both sides discussed in detail the Multi-Tranche Financing Facility (MFF) for road projects and expressed their commitment to collaborate on future endeavours in this sector.
In conclusion, Minister Iqbal thanked the ADB delegation for their continued support, noting that ADB has been a critical development partner for Pakistan, particularly, in post-flood infrastructure rehabilitation efforts.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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