The Central Development Working Party (CDWP), presided over by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan, convened on Monday and approved one development project alongside a concept clearance proposal.
Attended by Secretary Planning Awais Manzur Sumra, Members of the Planning Commission, Additional Secretary Planning Kamran Rehman, and representatives from federal ministries and provincial governments, the meeting saw the CDWP granting approval to a project in the physical planning & housing sector titled “Establishment of National Forensic Science Agency at Islamabad (5th revised PC-1)”. This project, costing Rs. 1,831.114 million, aims to establish a National Forensic Science Agency in Islamabad.
Originally approved in 2002, the revised version of the project now focuses solely on the Islamabad Agency, instead of establishing forensic science laboratories across provincial headquarters. The Ministry of Finance also presented a concept clearance proposal for the “Promoting Sustainable Public Private Partnership Program” with a total cost of $500 million. The CDWP approved the first phase of the program, valued at $250 million.
This program aims to enhance the environment for infrastructure financing by promoting public-private partnerships (PPPs) at the federal level, attracting private investment in crucial sectors like roads, housing, healthcare, education, water & sanitation, and technology.
Aligning with Pakistan’s Vision 2025 pillars, which aim to transform Pakistan’s economy into one of the top 10 in the world by 2047, the program will implement core policy, legal, and institutional reforms programmatically. Additionally, it will build capacity within relevant institutions to ensure long-term sustainability.
Furthermore, the CDWP discussed a working paper from the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training regarding the establishment of a Danish School at Kuri Road, Islamabad. The project was approved, with sponsors instructed to conduct a feasibility study, rationalize costs, and firm up the governance model.
