Up-gradation of Karakoram Highway

On 16th February, 2008, President Pervez Musharraf laid the foundation stone of the Rs. 30 billion project for upgradation of Karakoram Highway at the Convention Centre, Islamabad. The President noted that communication infrastructure is a pre-requisite for economic development of the country. In view of Pakistan’s geo-strategic location, these aspects needs to be optimized to help the country serve as a true hub for trade and communication. The expansion and up gradation of 335 km of road from Railkot to Khunjerb will be completed by 2011. The project covers improvement of grades, construction of snow galleries, improvement of 27 bridges, construction of 480m long tunnels, 18 open-cut tunnels and construction of 1050 culverts, 5 aqueducts and retaining walls. The Karakoram Highway, built along the historic Silk Route, will serve as a trade corridor not only with China, but also through it to the Central Asian Republics, while linking access to the Arabian Sea.

 

 

 

Pakistan Infrastructure Implementation Capacity Assessment

The World Bank, report on “Pakistan Infrastructure Implementation Capacity Assessment (PIICA)” was launched on 8th February, 2008 at the Planning Commission auditorium. The study is focused on how Pakistan can strengthen its capacity to undertake major infrastructure projects. The study notes that the country suffers from a dearth of infrastructure in the water, irrigation, power, and transport sectors. To overcome these constraints, the Government is tripling its annual infrastructure investment from an average of Rs150 billion to Rs440 billion. As the development effort has increased, shortage of adequately skilled workers is particularly affecting the ability of the construction industry to deliver mega infrastructure. The report calls for a development strategy to build human resources and upgrade skills as well as reverse the brain-drain. The report further suggests that in order to rapidly overcome the current constraints, a structural reform of the current process for implementing large infrastructure is required. It recommends an integrated approach to implement large public infrastructure along with medium- to long-term reforms to address the more fundamental constraints. The Infrastructure Wing of the Planning Commission coordinated the study and maintained close interaction with the study team, including several consultations with all stakeholders at the Planning Commission.

ECNEC Approves 32 Development Projects

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), in its meeting held on, 6th February 2008 under the chairmanship of the caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro, accorded approval to 32 projects costing Rs. 317.3 billion, including a foreign exchange component of Rs. 139.4 billion. These include 23 new projects of Rs309 billion and nine ongoing projects whose cost had increased by Rs. 8.2 billion from the original Rs. 62 billion. Secretary, Planning and Development Division, Mr. Ghaisuddin Ahmed, briefed the press after the ECNEC meeting and explained the sectroal and provincial distribution of the approved projects as well as their salient features.

CDWP Approves/ Recommends 33 Development Projects

The Central Developmental Working Party, in its meeting held on 1st March, 2008 approved/recommended 33 development projects costing Rs. 42.8 billion. The CDWP meeting, chaired by Dr. M. Akram Sheikh, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission was the 6th meeting of the current fiscal year. In the earlier five meetings, 185 projects costing Rs. 523.05 billion were approved/ recommended for the consideration of ECNEC. Out of the 33 projects, cost of each of the 12 projects (36.8%) is over 500 million with a total of Rs.36.8 billion (86%) which will be placed before the ECNEC for approval.

 

 

 

World Bank Delegation Meets Health Minister

A World Bank delegation met the Caretaker Health Minister/ Member Social Sector, Planning Commission, Mr. Ejaz Rahim on 23rd January 2008 and discussed the status on MDG goals in the health sector, including Nutritional Status of Children, Infant and Child Mortality Rates, and Maternal Mortality Rate. The meeting noted that compared to South Asian countries, the nutrition status of Pakistani children under 5 years of age in terms of weight is better. However, there is a need to overcome micro-nutrient deficiencies especially in iron and zinc. The situation of vitamin-A and Iodine had shown considerable progress. Cross sectoral nutrition interventions were stressed through National Programs. As regards Infant and Child mortality rates, the under-5 mortality rate in Pakistan is 94 per 1000 live births whereas it is 87 for India and 78 for Bangladesh. The indicator for Pakistan is moving in a positive direction but the rate of decline of child morality is slow. The Federal Minister of Health pointed out that Vision 2030 is cognizant of these challenges and greater efforts are envisaged to reach the MDG Goals.

Establishment of Engineering Universities with Foreign Collaboration

HEC in collaboration with Austria, Germany, Italy, France, Sweden and China is establishing a number of Engineering Science and Technology universities to create infrastructure for “Engineering Pakistan”. These UESTPs will be established together with “Technology Parks” which are expected to play a vital role in attracting leading high technology foreign companies to Pakistan while also serving to provide an outlet for the creative talents of Pakistani engineers graduating from UESTPs. On 6th February 2008, ECNEC approved UESTPs at Islamabad in collaboration with China; at Muridke near Lahore in collaboration with Germany; at Lahore in collaboration with Austria; and at Karachi in collaboration with Italy). These four universities will cumulatively cost around Rs.165 billion and are planned to be fully completed by 2018.The special feature of the UESTP program is that these technical universities are to be established in partnership with industrialized countries in Pakistan. The students seeking engineering degrees will not have to go abroad but will study in these universities in Pakistan. The faculty would be of international standard and the degrees will be issued from the parent universities and awarded to the students in Pakistan. With technology parks associated with these universities, it is expected that inward investment from partner country will flow into Pakistan, enabling an entrepreneurship culture to develop. The Planning Commission was involved with extensive reviews of the proposals on the basis of which the projects for the four UESTPs were recommended by CDWP to ECNEC for approval.

Scientists Asked To Exploit Sugar Beet Potential

Addressing to an international seminar held on 21 October 2007 “Prospects and issues of sugar-beet to supplement sugar production in the country” at the Auditorium of Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC), the Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Engr. Dr. M. Akram Sheikh asked the agriculture scientists to play their significant role in producing quality seed to enhance per acre yield of various crops including sugar-beet for the affluence of the country. He emphasized that research and development in the agriculture sector would enhance the pre acre yield of different corps including sugar-beet and sugarcane, which would ultimately enhance the production of sugar.