The 17 story NED Science and Technology Park has been approved along with some other major projects during the 46th meeting of the PPP Policy Board chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. The other projects include installation of West Karachi Water Recycling Project-I to supply water to industrial estates, desalination plant to provide drinking water to DHA and surrounding areas, six-lane Malir Expressway leading to the Kathore Interchange, and an allocation of Rs 2 billion for the Ghotki-Kandhkot bridge.
The NED science park project is being established through a Government to Government (G2G) arrangement between the Sindh government and a Kuwaiti company. The CM has instructed the authorities to complete this project within two years.
The Kuwaiti company also submitted a formal Expression of Interest (EoI) for a G2G arrangement regarding the West Karachi Water Recycling Project. The CM has directed to provide the collaboration with necessary approvals and initiate work as soon as possible.
About the Malir Expressway Project, the CM was informed that the project will end approximately 500 meters before the existing Kathore interchange on the M9, which currently features a single two-lane carriageway. A discussion was held with officials from the National Highway Authority (NHA) – South Zone, and both parties recognised the need to upgrade the interchange in line with the standards of the six new interchanges built on the M-9. The CM approved the appointment of a technical consultant to conduct necessary studies, enabling the local government department to provide the NHA with the required documentation.
The meeting was held at the Chief Minister’s House and provincial ministers Dr Azra Pechuho, Zia Lanjar, Sardar Shah, Ali Hassan Zardari, Jam Ikram Dharejo, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, and MPAs Ghulam Qadir Chandio, Qasim Soomro, along with other officials, including the Chairman of P&D Najam Shah, Home Secretary Iqbal Memon, Secretary of School Education Zahid Abbasi, DG PPP Unit Asad Zamin and several others were a part of the meeting.
