ECNEC clears re-alignment KKH at rationalized cost of RMB 13.067 billion, revised PC-I of New Gwadar International Airport

Islamabad: Pakistan’s Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) has cleared the re-alignment of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)’s Karakoram Highway (KKH) between Thakot and Raikot at a rationalized cost of RMB 13.067 billion as well as the revised PC-I of New Gwadar International Airport.

The new Gwadar airport is scheduled to become operational within the current calendar year.

The forum however, did not clear the re-modified PC-I for the up-gradation of Railways main line-1 (ML-1) and advised the Pakistan Railways to consider preparing smaller projects and packages with specific for financing and implementation.

A meeting of the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) was held at Prime Minister’s House. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, due to other pre-occupations of the Prime Minister, and attended by Finance Minister, Planning Minister, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, representatives of provincial governments as well as senior officers.

The meeting considered 21 agenda items recommended to it in various meetings of Central Development Working Party (CDWP) and accorded approval for 19 projects.

An amount of Pakistani Rs 11.2 billion has been allocated in Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2024-25 for reconstruction projects in Balochistan. The forum directed that reconstruction activities in Balochistan be undertaken expeditiously while ensuring top quality.

A number of projects being undertaken in Sindh were also approved by the forum, including the revised Flood Response Emergency Housing Project at a cost of Rs 296 billion, including Rs 50 billion committed by the federal government.

An amount of Rs 30 billion was allocated in PSDP 2024-25 as federal share for housing reconstruction in Sindh.

The Ministry of National Health Services was tasked to prepare an implementation plan with well-defined targets and measurable indicators within 3 months.

The forum also directed the Planning Commission to carry out an exercise for reviewing the PSDP in view of the shrinking fiscal space available with the federal government and timely completion of on-going projects.