Pakistan has taken another step toward strengthening its indigenous space capabilities as the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) referred the Rs37.13 billion Pakistan Space Centre (PSC) project to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for final approval. Sponsored by Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), the proposed facility is intended to enhance Pakistan’s ability to design, develop, and test satellites locally while reducing dependence on foreign infrastructure. The project forms part of the National Space Program 2047 and is aimed at expanding the country’s long term space technology capabilities in support of scientific, strategic, and national development objectives.
The decision was taken during a CDWP meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, where seven development projects covering higher education, information technology, and physical planning were reviewed. During the session, the forum approved four projects worth Rs12.437 billion, while three major projects with a combined value of Rs240.537 billion were referred to ECNEC for final consideration. Among these, the Pakistan Space Centre emerged as one of the most significant technology related initiatives. According to the proposal, the centre will provide Pakistan with the capability to design, assemble, integrate, test, and qualify satellites within the country. This is expected to reduce reliance on overseas facilities while strengthening technical expertise in satellite development and related space technologies. The facility will also support the development of satellites for strategic, scientific, and socio economic applications. Ahsan Iqbal said the proposed centre would strengthen Pakistan’s self reliance in space technology while supporting future national space missions under the National Space Program 2047.
Alongside the space project, the CDWP also approved several higher education initiatives. These include a project to strengthen Women University of AJ&K Bagh, where the minister directed officials to rationalize project costs and instructed Higher Education Commission (HEC) to prepare a comprehensive master plan. HEC was also directed to appoint qualified project directors and ensure that construction work is awarded only to pre qualified contractors. Other approved education projects include the establishment of academic facilities at Emerson University Multan and the Hyderabad Institute for Technology and Management Sciences. The minister also instructed HEC to improve student transport facilities through internal adjustments while removing the proposed endowment fund from the revised project. In addition, the revised Strengthening of KBCMA CVAS project received approval after its estimated cost was reduced from Rs5.494 billion to Rs4.283 billion following a financial review.
The CDWP meeting also referred major infrastructure projects to ECNEC, including the Rs31.59 billion Lahore Water and Waste Water Management Project and the Rs171.81 billion Greater Karachi Bulk Water Supply Scheme (K IV) Phase I. The Lahore project includes a surface water treatment plant, pipelines, storage facilities, pumping stations, a SCADA monitoring system, and a 5MW solar power system, while the Karachi project covers water intake facilities, pumping stations, transmission pipelines, filtration plants, and storage reservoirs to improve water supply infrastructure. Ahsan Iqbal directed the Punjab government to ensure annual development funding for the Lahore project and instructed the Sindh government to submit a detailed implementation plan for the Karachi initiative, including timelines for power supply and other critical components. While multiple projects were reviewed during the meeting, the Pakistan Space Centre remains a key technology initiative that, if approved by ECNEC, will strengthen domestic satellite development capabilities, expand technical expertise, and support Pakistan’s long term space program objectives through locally developed infrastructure and advanced space research facilities.
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