The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) approved a major development package worth Rs 79.28 billion, giving the go-ahead to critical engineering, energy and transport infrastructure projects while forwarding two large schemes to ECNEC for final approval. The meeting, chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, brought together federal secretaries, provincial P&D heads, economic experts and senior officials.
In total, the CDWP cleared seven projects costing Rs 34.66 billion and recommended two projects worth Rs 44.62 billion for ECNEC. The agenda spanned power, transport, water resources, higher education, IT, governance, housing and health.
A key approval was the Rs 5.275 billion rehabilitation of Khyber I, II & III and Nagar Khas I & II hydropower stations under the KfW Grant Program. The upgrades will modernize aging generation systems, improve efficiency, and extend operational life—strengthening the country’s renewable energy infrastructure.
The CDWP also advanced the Rs 28.964 billion revised project for a 4-lane link highway connecting the Lahore–Sialkot Motorway (LSM) at Umerkot to Narang Mandi, including a new Narowal Eastern Bypass. The revised PC-I optimizes costs using updated NHA CSR 2024 and FWO bid rates, and incorporates a redesigned road profile reflecting post-August 2025 flood high-water levels.
In water engineering, the Rs 15.654 billion Pehur High Level Canal Extension Project was recommended to ECNEC. The plan includes 28.67 km of pressure pipelines, nearly 50 km of open canal systems, precision land leveling and a high-efficiency irrigation network, now backed by expanded contributions from ADB, the KP government and local farmers.
The CDWP approved the Phase-II expansion of the University of Turbat valued at Rs 1.93 billion, featuring extensive civil works, solar installations, modern labs, automation systems and upgraded academic facilities.
A long-delayed IT project Automation of Pakistan Post worth Rs 6.645 billion and financed via KExim was also revived. The modernization will digitize 2,761 post offices, reclaim lost market share and integrate Pakistan Post into the country’s e-commerce logistics backbone.
