ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has cleared a total of 16 development projects at the cost of Rs259.68 billion.
The CDWP approved nine development projects valued at Rs27.4 billion, while recommended seven projects at the cost of Rs232.28 billion to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) for its consideration and final approval.
The CDWP met with Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives in the chair at P-Block of Ministry of Planning on Monday late night.
CDWP approves 15 uplift projects worth Rs422.704 billion
The meeting was attended by Planning Secretary Awais Manzur Sumra, VC PIDE, members of the Planning Commission, as well as respective federal secretaries, representatives of Planning Divisions of provincial governments.
The CDWP discussed the projects related to education and training, governance, higher education, mass media, physical planning and housing, power and transport and communications.
The planning minister delivered his opening remarks before the meeting of the CDWP.
Five development projects relating to education and training sector were presented in the CDWP meeting, including the following initiatives: Establishment of Daanish School at Gilgit-Baltistan (Kros Thang Mouza Sarfaranga - Shigar) valued at Rs2.963 billion; Establishment of Daanish School at G-B (Sultanabad Jutal) valued at Rs3.004 billion; Establishment of Daanish School at Azad Jammu Kashmir (Bhimber) valued at Rs2.999 billion; and construction of Cadet College Kharan (2nd Revised) valued at Rs2.945 million. After detailed discussions, these projects were approved by the CDWP forum.
The “Prime Minister’s Pakistan Fund for Education (Pak-PEF),” a significant initiative in the education and training sector, has been referred to the Ecnec for further consideration. With a total worth of Rs14 billion, the project will be financed through the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). Under this initiative, the government will allocate Rs5 billion annually to the fund. An endowment fund, named the “Prime Minister’s Pakistan Fund for Education,” will be established, and Rs3 billion of this annual allocation will be transferred to the fund. The profits generated from the endowment will be utilised to provide scholarships.
A key governance project, titled “Enhancing Public-Private Partnerships in Pakistan (Provincial Support) Project for Sindh – Revised,” worth Rs27.854 billion, was presented at the meeting and has been referred to the Ecnec for further consideration. The project is proposed to be financed through a combination of an Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) grant, and the Government of Sindh (GoS)‘s share. The initiative aims to support Government of Sindh’s development objectives by fostering sustainable infrastructure through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). It will enhance the capacity of Government of Sindh to select and develop PPP projects by strengthening key institutions such as the PPP Unit, PPP nodes, and the Project Development Facility (PDF). This includes improving identification of financially viable projects, assessing non-solicited proposals, and boosting financial management practices. The project will ensure transparent procurement processes, regular financial reporting and auditing while managing fiscal risks associated with PPPs. It will establish a disciplined system for accessing the Viability Gap Fund (VGF) and manage contingent liabilities effectively. Additionally, the project will provide resources for pre-feasibility studies and transaction structuring to encourage private sector participation. Strengthening the PPP project management capacity of key departments, including the Finance Department (FD), Planning and Development Departments (P&DD), and the PPP Unit, will also ensure better risk management and integration of fiscal risk strategies into budgetary planning.
A project related to Higher Education presented in the meeting namely, “Pak-USAID Merit and Need Based Scholarships Program (Phase-II)” worth Rs 2,954.808 million approved by the CDWP.
A project related to mass media presented at the meeting namely, “Establishment of Arshad Nadeem/Shehbaz Sharif High Performance Sports Academy at Pakistan Sports Complex, Islamabad (Prime Minister’s Directive)” worth Rs2,678.545 million was approved by the CDWP forum. The project aims to establish a state-of-the-art high performance sports academy at the Pakistan Sports Complex (PSC) in Islamabad, as part of the Long-Term Athlete Development Program (LTDAP).
The academy will provide top-tier training facilities for 50 elite athletes across 10 sports disciplines, including athletics, boxing, judo, squash, taekwondo, shooting, weightlifting, wrestling, and table tennis. These athletes will also have the opportunity to continue their academic studies. Selection will be based on a comprehensive screening process conducted in collaboration with the respective National Sports Federations (NSFs). The academy will be equipped with cutting-edge facilities, including athletic tracks, a swimming pool complex, squash courts, a fitness gym, a bio-mechanical lab, and sports medicine services. It was expected that more gold medals in the identified disciplines will be achieved by the beneficiary players in next Olympics.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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