On the special directives of Pakistan Peoples Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari, the Federal government has appointed party's former MNA Ghulam Murtaza Satti as head of Infrastructure Project Development Facility (IPDF). After taking charge, Ghulam Murtaza Satti told the media that the present government was taking serious steps for encouraging the public-private partnership (PPP) to accelerate the infrastructure development.
"A number of new projects under the PPP are under consideration and the government would extend full support in this regard," he added. Meanwhile, Satti was given a detailed briefing by senior officials of the IPDF about the significant role of IPDF in public-private partnership projects and financial models of the PPP projects in terms of their profitability, durability, reliability and legal aspects.
The officials, including Projects' Senior Advisors Ali Rehman and Arslan Salahuddin Wardag, Senior Advisor, Legal, Ikram-ul-Haq and Finance Manager Muhammad Fahim Akhtar gave the briefing.
The IPDF head was informed that the World Bank would provide 5.5 million dollars as technical assistance to establish multi-purpose water reservoirs financing cell. This cell would devise an enabling framework for the development of hydropower projects with private sector's participation.
This framework would pave the way for the enhanced participation of private sector's financing for its large proposed hydroelectric projects involving electricity generation from 3000 to 6000 MW. Under the PPP modality, the Ministry of Tourism would construct two tourism complexes each in the Federal capital and Sindh.
Meanwhile, the IPDF head, accompanied by Projects Advisor Qaiser Javed, held a detailed meeting with Managing Director of Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation Brigadier Emanullah (Retd) and discussed various projects regarding promotion of tourism. On the occasion, the PTDC chief disclosed that the Gorakh Hills in Sindh, which is a tourist place like Murree, would be named after Benazir Bhutto Shaheed.