# Pakistan's Infrastructure & Development- Updates & Discussions.



## EagleEyes

Post all the new infrastructure and development related news here.

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## ameer219

*Contact centres for customers*

KARACHI - Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL) has upgraded and advanced its contact centres to facilitate its customers. Now PTCL customers can utilize its services through these contact centres without leaving their homes or offices.
PTCL has four contact centers one each in Karachi and Rawalpindi and two in Lahore. These contact centers operates round the clock 24/7, 365 days a year. A well trained staff of 1200 personnel ensures quality service and support to our customers at all times.
These contact centers has been upgraded from a previously man-power reliant contact centers and now has taken the shape of advanced and developed process-oriented contact centers. They are equipped with state-of-the-art technology and parameters in place together with efficient and effective provision on the first call resolution.
SEVP Commercial Naveed Saeed remarked that these steps were an effort to ensure that all the customers both in-bound and out-bound, needs were dealt with speedily and effectively. He added that customer facilitation has always been the core objective of PTCL policies and programs.

Contact centres for customers | Pakistan | News | Newspaper | Daily | English | Online

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## ameer219

* FBR plans to set up three regional tax offices by July*

FBR plans to set up three regional tax offices by July


Sunday, April 11, 2010
By our correspondent

KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will establish three new Regional Tax Offices in Karachi and Lahore from July, an official spokesman said on Saturday.

Asrar Raouf, Member Tax Policy and spokesman for the revenue body, said that it has been decided to set up two more regional tax offices in Karachi and one in Lahore.

The purpose of introducing new offices is to simplify the tax officials working by separating the corporate and non-corporate cases.

At present, one regional tax office is operational in Karachi and after formation of Inland Revenue Services (IRS) it is dealing with the direct and indirect cases. This puts enormous burden on the tax officials and also creating problems for them.

ìWe have decided that from July this year, three regional tax offices will be operational in Karachi. The existing RTO building will deal with the corporate cases and the other two regional tax offices will deal with the salaried and individual cases, respectively,î he said.

Similarly, in Lahore one office will deal with the corporate cases and the other will treat non-corporate cases, he added.

Initially, the revenue body is planning to make functional three regional tax offices by June 30, but after receiving objections from several senior officials the plan was postponed. ìThe plan is delayed considering revenue collection efforts in the last quarter,î said Asrar.

At present, 13 regional tax offices are being operational in the country.

The regional tax offices were established under the Tax Administration Reform Programme (TARP) funded by the World Bank to facilitate taxpayers other than taxpayers having huge turnovers.

Before formation of the regional tax offices, the tax offices were scattered at various places in Karachi and the taxpayers were facing problems in resolving their issues.

Critics said the plan will drag the revenue body towards past and the taxpayers will again face similar problems. ìAfter hectic efforts, the FBR has gathered all the tax offices at a building and the taxpayers are happy with the resolution of their issues,î said a tax official at the RTO Karachi.

After establishment of three more regional tax offices at different places, the taxpayers will again face similar problems by moving from one office to another, the official said.

However, a member of the Income Tax Bar Association (ITBA) lauded the decision of segregating the cases, as according to him, it will improve the working of the revenue body.

Muhammad Zubair, Member, ITBA, said that the taxpayers are receiving three different notices from the tax department due to lack of coordination among the tax officials over jurisdiction issues. The decision will clearly define case jurisdiction, he added.


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## ameer219

*Rs6b uplift projects launched in Swabi: Hoti*



Sunday, April 11, 2010

Our correspondent

Rs6b uplift projects launched in Swabi: Hoti

SWABI: NWFP Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti Saturday said that development projects worth Rs6 billion have been launched in the district.

Addressing a public gathering on the premises of the Shahmansoor Hospital, he announced upgradation of the hospital to a complex, saying that the District Headquarters Hospital would also remain intact.

The chief minister said that construction of the buildings for two newly created Topi and Razaar tehsils would cost Rs380 million. He said that 25 acres of land had been procured for the construction of the Swabi Judicial Lock-Up and the fund for its building had also been sanctioned by the government.

The chief minister announced Rs150 million for upgrading the Topi Civil Hospital and Rs150 million for the provision of five ambulances to the DHQ and Shahmansoor hospitals. Similarly, he said the upgrading of Kalu Khan Hospital in Razaar tehsil would cost Rs150 million.

The campus of the Khan Abdul Wali University, Mardan, would be opened in Swabi this year, he said. He also announced constriction of Swabi Press Club and a college for boys in upper Gadoon Amazai.

The government will initiate lift irrigation scheme from the Pehur High Level Canal to irrigate the barren land of the district, he said.

Tight security arrangements had been made during the visit of the chief minister. The Swabi-Jahangira Road remained closed for all kinds of traffic.

It was first time in the history of the district that a large number of women participated in the public meeting addressed by the chief minister.


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## ameer219

*Lahore-Kasur Road project: chief minister blacklists companies
*

RECORDER REPORT
LAHORE (April 12 2010): Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that billions of rupees were wasted in the past due to corruption, plunder and nepotism in the execution of development projects and Lahore-Kasur Road project worth about four billions rupees is an example in this regard.

He said that criminal negligence and inefficiency was shown toward this project and had the present government not taken notice of this state of affairs, billions of rupees of public money would have gone down the drain.

He said this while presiding over a meeting held to review Lahore-Kasur Road project at Liliani, district Kasur, Sunday. He issued instructions for blacklisting the construction companies engaged in Lahore-Kasur Road project Hassnain Cotex and Eco-West and observed that the performance of Communication and Works Department was highly unsatisfactory and the Secretary concerned should plan for the future of the department.

He directed that the new contractor should complete the remaining work by June-15 by working round-the-clock and he would be rewarded with cash prize and commendatory certificate if the project were completed within the timeframe.

He also issued instructions for taking stern disciplinary action against the officers and staff of Communication and Works Department and those companies found responsible for delay and substandard construction work.

Senator Parvaiz Raseed, MNA and MPA, Commissioner Lahore Division and senior officers of the departments concerned were present on the occasion.

Secretary Communication and Works, Major (retd) Azam Suleman gave a detailed briefing regarding the pace of implementation of the project.

The chief minister said that after the toppling of the democratic government, the dictator raised tall clams of his commitment to democracy and public service but the situation was totally different.

He said that the hard-earned money of the people was wasted on substandard development projects and Lahore-Kasur Road project worth four billion rupees was delayed due to criminal negligence.

He said that there was no mechanism to check sub-standard construction work and corruption in development projects in the past and payments of million of rupees were made without completion of development projects.

He said that he had visited Lahore-Kasur Road project four times and issued instructions for action against the engineer of the department concerned who are not committed as well as early completion of the project by the contractors but the project was still pending due to which people were facing serious problems.

He said that it was time for self-reformation for a bright future of a country and solution of people's problems before it was too late.

He said that there was a need for drawing lesson from the revolution of Kyrgyzstan and eliminate corruption from the society for resolving people's problems and provision of basic amenities to the masses. Moreover, he also announced release of funds of Rs 150 million for resuming work on Rohi Nullah Kasur.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2010
Business Recorder [Pakistan's First Financial Daily]

---------- Post added at 11:28 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:27 AM ----------

*Rs 4,000 million community development project ready for launching*


PESHAWAR (April 12 2010): Community Development Project (CDP) is all set to be launched under the auspices of Medium Term Development Funds (MTDF) and World Bank, as PC-I of the scheme has been prepared. Official sources said on Sunday MTDF would provide a grant of Rs 4000 million for various social welfare programmes.

Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) had approved the project on March 21, 2010 after which it was sent to Central Development Working Party (CDWP) for final approval. The construction work would be initiated on these community development projects after the final approval is accorded, the officials said. The CDP is a good project for a less resourceful province NWFP and special attention was needed for it so that it did not land in cold storage.

Meanwhile, Community Infrastructure Project-II is going to expire on April 30 next that would result in loss of employment for over 200 employees. The employees have demanded the concerned authorities to give extension to the project that would not only save hundreds of thousands of family members of the employees but would also facilitate large number of communities by fulfilling the ongoing schemes. The project was initiated in 2003 for six years and the World Bank had provided Rs 3000 million in this regard. Under Community Infrastructure programme many welfare projects were completed in collaboration with Citizen Community Board in all 24 districts of the province.

Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2010
Business Recorder [Pakistan's First Financial Daily]

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## ameer219

*PASDEC to establish marble city in Karachi*

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Stone Development Company (PASDEC) will establish the first ever Marble City (industrial estate) in Karachi under the auspices of the government of Sindh. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) in this regard has been inked between Sindh Board of Investment and PASDEC during Sindh Investment Conference 2010 held in Karachi, revealed a press release issued on Tuesday. The conference was organised by Sindh Board of Investment to highlight the potential of investment in Sindh. staff report


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## Hyde

ameer219 said:


> *PASDEC to establish marble city in Karachi*
> 
> Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
> 
> ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Stone Development Company (PASDEC) will establish the first ever Marble City (industrial estate) in Karachi under the auspices of the government of Sindh. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) in this regard has been inked between Sindh Board of Investment and PASDEC during Sindh Investment Conference 2010 held in Karachi, revealed a press release issued on Tuesday. The conference was organised by Sindh Board of Investment to highlight the potential of investment in Sindh. staff report



Marble related projects should preferably be initiated in NWFP (Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa abhi tak zuban pe nahi chahra).

That is because NWFP accounts for 75 - 80% of marble production in Pakistan. It would have been easier to setup another Marble city in NWFP and would have keep the prices more competitive thanks to the existing marble industry in NWFP.


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## SHAMK9

Zaki said:


> Marble related projects should preferably be initiated in NWFP (Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa abhi tak zuban pe nahi chahra).
> 
> That is because NWFP accounts for 75 - 80% of marble production in Pakistan. It would have been easier to setup another Marble city in NWFP and would have keep the prices more competitive thanks to the existing marble industry in NWFP.



this whole name change is just stupid . it makes people think that its the only thing that they can do . im calling it NWFP for rest of my life


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## ameer219

*Lahore transport system seeks British investment
*
Lahore transport system seeks British investment

Thursay, April 22, 2010

LONDON: The Lahore Transport Company has floated request for proposals, inviting British entrepreneurs to invest in Lahores urban transport system.

The Trade and Commercial wing of the Pakistan High Commission, on behalf of LTC a body of the Government of Punjab, has invited proposals from British entrepreneurs offering them liberal incentives.

These incentives include upfront subsidy of 20 per cent on new buses, operational subsidy on every unattractive route, 20 per cent return on equity for the investors, assured subsidy of rupees one billion annually to be disbursed by Lahore Transport Company (LTC), duty waiver on import of CNG buses, hassle free one window operation in LTC, minimum five-year concession agreement, provision of allied infrastructure to operators, facilitation by LTC for feasibility or viability studies.

The Punjab government established LTC in 2009 to ensure a smooth running, safe, efficient and affordable transport service in Lahore.

With May 3 as the last date of submission of proposals, Commercial Secretary at PHC Saira Najeeb Ahmed was hopeful of a positive response from the British business community in this project.


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## ameer219

*Rawalpindi to have 53-kilometer Ring Road*

RAWALPINDI: On the directives of Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif, 53 kilometers long ring road would be constructed in Rawalpindi and feasibility report of the project would be tabled before Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) by April 30. RDA Director General Makeen Shahbaz said this in a statement on Wednesday. In order to ensure smooth flow of traffic in Rawalpindi, a 53-kilometer long ring road from Rawat to Fateh Jhang airport would be constructed, he said. The ring road would also have a dozen interchanges. Feasibility report for the construction of road is being prepared and would be completed by April 30, he said. The report would be presented to the chief minister for final approval, DG RDA added. online

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

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## Hyde

ameer219 said:


> *Rawalpindi to have 53-kilometer Ring Road*
> 
> RAWALPINDI: On the directives of Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif, 53 kilometers long ring road would be constructed in Rawalpindi and feasibility report of the project would be tabled before Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) by April 30. RDA Director General Makeen Shahbaz said this in a statement on Wednesday. In order to ensure smooth flow of traffic in Rawalpindi, a 53-kilometer long ring road from Rawat to Fateh Jhang airport would be constructed, he said. The ring road would also have a dozen interchanges. Feasibility report for the construction of road is being prepared and would be completed by April 30, he said. The report would be presented to the chief minister for final approval, DG RDA added. online
> 
> Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan



Good News!

Lahore ring road is still not yet completed and they are going for Rawalpindi Ring Road? well i would have recommended to accelerate the work of Lahore ring road so it would have been completed soon. Its been many years now since i have been hearing about Lahore R.R. project.

Rawalpindi Ring road project would be very beneficial for the peoples of Rawalpindi, Islamabad and its sorrounding areas including Jhelum upto Gujrat if this ring road project is ever completed.

It will help reduce the traffic from GT road and inner part of Rawalpindi

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## ameer219

* 
Rs 22.86 billion released for construction of Kachhi Canal: National Assembly told
*
RECORDER REPORT
ISLAMABAD (May 04 2010): Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf Monday told the National Assembly that a sum of Rs 22.86 billion has been released for construction of Kachhi Canal. In written reply to a question, the minister said that a total of Rs 5.87 billion were released in 2006-07, Rs 7.4 billion in 2007-08, Rs 3.35 billion in 2008-09 and Rs 1.47 billion in 2009-10.

He said that the project started on 04-10-2002 and it would be completed in three phases. He said that final phase would be completed on 30-06-2012. In reply to another question, the minister said that the reach of 300kms in Punjab province is plain cement concrete (PCC) lining and not brick lining.

He further said that portion of Kachhi canal falls in Balochistan area, which was proposed to be constructed as unlined canal due to reason that underground water is deep up to 150 ft, and seepage would recharge the aquifer to reuse it for drinking and irrigation purposes in future. However, it was decided to carry out the concrete lining of distributaries only under Phase-I falling in District Dera Bugti Balochistan, he said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2010


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## ameer219

*Government to establish 2 fertilizer plants
*

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: To meet country&#8217;s fertilizer future requirements, Pakistan badly needed to establish at least two more fertilizer plants to meet the shortfall of fertilizer in the future, said Federal Minister for Industries and Production Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani while chairing a meeting to discuss strategy for establishment of new fertilizer plants in the country.

Chairman NFC and high officials of the ministry attended the meeting. The NFC Chairman briefed the minister of all aspects about the establishment of new fertilizer plants. After the briefing, the minister said the country was desperately in need of at least two more plants of urea and DAP as billions of rupees were being spent from the

national exchequer on the import of urea. Pakistan, being an agricultural country, must be self&#8211;sufficient in the domestic production of fertilizers. The infrastructure must be available for the establishment of new fertilizer plants, the minister added.

It was decided in the meeting that a comprehensive proposal regarding the establishment of two more new fertilizer plants may be prepared after a complete study and submitted to an already formed Inter-Ministerial Committee on National Fertilizer Strategy (NFS) comprising Minister for Industries and Production, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Minister for Food and Agriculture and Minister for Water and Power.

After the approval of the NFS Committee, the proposal would then be submitted to ECC for its formal approval. staff report


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## aks

Zaki said:


> Good News!
> 
> Lahore ring road is still not yet completed and they are going for Rawalpindi Ring Road? well i would have recommended to accelerate the work of Lahore ring road so it would have been completed soon. Its been many years now since i have been hearing about Lahore R.R. project.
> 
> Rawalpindi Ring road project would be very beneficial for the peoples of Rawalpindi, Islamabad and its sorrounding areas including Jhelum upto Gujrat if this ring road project is ever completed.
> 
> It will help reduce the traffic from GT road and inner part of Rawalpindi





in past years government neglected lahore ring road project now the current government's main focus is lahore ring road construction is going on full pace number of interchanges have been completed cheif minister punjab will hand over the completed 30 km project on 30th june

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## aks

here is the pics of completed part of lahore ring road 









^^ this is the recently inaugurated interchange 2 weeks back 




near air port interchange

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## aks

this pic is old this interchange is also completed CM punjab inaugurated this interchange few weeks back 




view of air port interchange 









completed part of lahore ring road

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## aks



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## ameer219

A very well done job by the Pakistan transport authority!


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## SHAMK9

ameer219 said:


> A very well done job by the Pakistan transport authority!



thats the way pakistan roles


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## sparklingway

National Assembly Session May 7, 2010 :-



> 79. *Ms. Qudsia Arshad:
> Will the Minister for Defence be pleased to state the present status of
> the New Benazir Bhutto International Airport (NBBA), Islamabad
> alongwith the time by which it will be completed?
> 
> Minister for Defence (Ch. Ahmad Mukhtar): *The works on the New
> Benazir Bhutto International Airport Project (NBBIA) are presently in progress
> with anticipated date of completion as 31-12-2012*.

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## bc040400065

*Provinces have major share in Rs663bn PSDP *

By Khaleeq Kiani 
Saturday, 29 May, 2010 


ISLAMABAD: The National Economic Council (NEC) approved on Friday Rs280 billion for federal development programmes for the next financial year  about 33 per cent lower than current years allocation of Rs421 billion  and set an economic growth rate target of 4.5 per cent. 
The size of the overall Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for 2010-11 was set at *Rs663 billion*, with an allocation of Rs373 billion for provinces. 

An amount of Rs10 billion was allocated for the Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority  60 per cent less than the current years original allocation of Rs25 billion that was later curtailed to Rs10 billion. 

The NEC meeting presided over by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and attended by chief ministers, the AJK prime minister and federal and provincial ministers also reviewed current years Development Programme that had been slashed by about 25 per cent to Rs490 billion from the budgetary allocation of Rs646 billion. 

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Prime Ministers Adviser on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said the main focus of next years PSDP would be on completion of ongoing projects rather than starting new ones. 

The PSDP will include a foreign exchange component of Rs78 billion, including Rs38 billion for federal programmes. 

The adviser said the flow of resources would shift to provinces after the new National Finance Commission award and 18th Amendment. 

He said the size of the federal PSDP set at Rs280 billion was about 25 per cent higher than current years revised estimates of Rs235 billion but 37 per cent lower than the original allocation of Rs446 billion. 

*The provinces will get about 52 per cent higher allocation of Rs373 billion for next years development programme when compared with current years revised estimates of Rs245 billion and 21 per cent higher than the original estimates of Rs294 billion. *

Mr Shaikh said the NEC had decided to ensure that the entire amount was released and utilised for all approved projects under a quarterly automatic mechanism rather than giving discretionary powers to the finance ministry to stop releases as the year progressed. These are challenging things for a political government but realistic to ensure that benefits of development reach the people, he said. 

The adviser said the objective of the federal programme would be to develop backwards areas and remove regional disparities at the provincial level. He said the provincial governments would also be advised to narrow down inequalities within their regions. 

He said the government would ensure that the entire allocation for development was utilised through improved monitoring with the help of modern technology. 

He said the NEC would meet every four months to review and rationalise progress. 

The adviser said the government would try to curtail current expenditure. Fiscal austerity will be the big theme of this years budget.* Infrastructure and social services would get the biggest allocations of Rs136 billion and Rs134 billion, he said. An amount of Rs65.4 billion will be allocated for energy and water sectors. Health and education will get Rs19 billion and Rs21 billion, respectively. *Planning Commissions Deputy Chairman Dr Nadeemul Haque said the NEC had also approved next years programme that envisaged a GDP (gross domestic product) growth rate of 4.5 per cent, against current years revised estimate of 4.1 per cent. 

This will be backed by 4.7 per cent growth in the services sector, 3.8 per cent in agriculture and 5.2-5.6 per cent in manufacturing. 

Finance Secretary Salman Siddique said that current years development programme had to be curtailed because of higher security expenditure and a breakdown in inflows from the United States under the Coalition Support Fund. He said the CSF funds had started to flow now. 

Responding to a question about the Multan and Larkana development packages announced by the prime minister and the president, Mr Shaikh said it was not unique with the current government to announce special development packages, but this should not be a dominant style. 

He said the economic survey for the current year would be released on June 4 and the federal budget would be announced on June 5.

DAWN.COM | Front Page | Provinces have major share in Rs663bn PSDP


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## Hyde

*Railways launches 530 high speed hi-capacity wagons making project ​*

RECORDER REPORT
LAHORE (May 29 2010): Pakistan Railways has launched a project of manufacturing of 530 high speed hi-capacity wagons with an estimated cost of Rs 4.1 billions. These wagons can run up to 100 kilometer per hour either loaded or empty. These wagons can lift maximum of 61 tons of goods per wagon and out of these 344 are high-sided wagons, 156 container wagon and 30 break wagons.

Islamic Bank Jeddah has provided US 39.07 million dollars foreign exchange as loan for this project. Material for these wagons had been imported from China while these were being manufactured in Mughalpura workshops of the Pakistan Railways. First rack of 25 high speed hi-capacity wagons was inaugurated by the General Manager (Operations) Muhammad Ashfaq Khattak at Lahore Cantonment station here on Friday.

The rack is on its first trial run between Lahore and Karachi. A large number of railway officers and staff attended the ceremony. According to a spokesman, Pakistan Railways is paying special attention on goods train to reduce its deficit. It direly needs high speed latest wagons and locomotives to improve its goods services so as to make it competitive with the road transport. Efforts are being made to complete this project by December 2010.

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## SHAMK9

Zaki said:


> *Railways launches 530 high speed hi-capacity wagons making project ​*
> 
> RECORDER REPORT
> LAHORE (May 29 2010): Pakistan Railways has launched a project of manufacturing of 530 high speed hi-capacity wagons with an estimated cost of Rs 4.1 billions. These wagons can run up to 100 kilometer per hour either loaded or empty. These wagons can lift maximum of 61 tons of goods per wagon and out of these 344 are high-sided wagons, 156 container wagon and 30 break wagons.
> 
> Islamic Bank Jeddah has provided US 39.07 million dollars foreign exchange as loan for this project. Material for these wagons had been imported from China while these were being manufactured in Mughalpura workshops of the Pakistan Railways. First rack of 25 high speed hi-capacity wagons was inaugurated by the General Manager (Operations) Muhammad Ashfaq Khattak at Lahore Cantonment station here on Friday.
> 
> The rack is on its first trial run between Lahore and Karachi. A large number of railway officers and staff attended the ceremony. According to a spokesman, Pakistan Railways is paying special attention on goods train to reduce its deficit. It direly needs high speed latest wagons and locomotives to improve its goods services so as to make it competitive with the road transport. Efforts are being made to complete this project by December 2010.


thats not high speed train the speed trains go up to 300 -400 km per hour


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## Hyde

SHAMK9 said:


> thats not high speed train the speed trains go up to 300 -400 km per hour



You are talking about Bullet Trains - this is something else....... though the title is a bit misleading


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## faisaljaffery

Lahore ring road is a impressive project. i will like to drive on the new route in my next visit to Lahore


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## Hyde

*Lack of double taxation treaty: PIA incurring loss of Rs 40,000 per Kabul flight ​*

KARACHI (June 21 2010): The Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (PIAC) is incurring a loss of Rs 40,000 on each flight from Islamabad to Kabul, owing to the absence of double taxation treaty between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Sources told Business Recorder on Saturday that the issue was highlighted by the officials of the national flag carrier at a meeting with the chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) some time early this month in Islamabad.

They said that the PIAC has been paying 25 percent corporate tax and 10 percent business receipt tax (BRT) on its gross sales to the Afghan officials, which results in a loss of Rs 40,000 on each flight from Islamabad to Kabul.

They said that although the government could not stop the flights to Afghanistan because of strategic reasons, it could enter into a double taxation treaty to get exemption on the levy on income of airlines of both countries.

Officials of national flag carrier had further informed the FBR chief that Indian government had finalised similar treaty with Afghanistan to avoid such revenue losses.

Commenting on value-added tax (VAT) implementation, the office-bearers of PIAC said that although the implementation of VAT on international transport services had been withheld for the time being, it would result in drastic implications for the airline on implementation in future.

They said that foreign carriers, lifting passengers from Pakistan to their hubs, mainly in Gulf, would have the facility of issuing tickets from Pakistan to their hubs and collecting applicable VAT only for this travel.

Moreover, they said, the tickets for the remaining part of the travel from their hubs to other destinations in the world would be issued out of Pakistan and, therefore, these tickets would be much cheaper than the tickets of PIA, involving VAT for the full itinerary.

They said that the foreign airlines would start issuing tickets from their hubs in Gulf and make the passengers travel from Pakistan without involving any VAT, thereby depriving the government of Pakistan of its revenue, and putting PIAC in an uncompetitive position.


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## xenia

*Centaurus Tower faces uncertain future*

By Imran Ali Teepu
Tuesday, 14 Sep, 2010

ISLAMABAD, Sept 13: The countrys first mix-use complex being built in the federal capital faces an uncertain future as its management and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) have developed serious differences over provision of services, resulting in withholding of payment amounting to around Rs1 billion to the latter, it has been learnt.

Centaurus Tower is located at F-8 Sector in the confluence of Jinnah and Faisal avenues. The $350 million tower comprises an international standard mega mall, ultra-luxurious apartments and penthouses, modern corporate offices and a high-end deluxe hotel. The tower is planned to have 37 storeys.

An official said CDAs under-performing financial wing had made several attempts to get the blocked amount cleared but the stance of the towers management was clear that the money would be released after provision of utility facilities.

Though the civic agency is facing financial crisis, he said, it was under an agreement to ensure supply of water, electricity and other utility services. However, since the start of the construction work three years back, the CDA has not fulfilled its commitment in this regard.

An official privy to the development told Dawn that the management of Centaurus had held back three installments of payment amounting to Rs650 million on the pretext of non-provision of utility services. Besides, the company also owes Rs300 million to the CDA in return for a plot, they added.

In January this year, the towers management informed the civic agency that they needed around 16 megawatt electricity to energise the building.

The official said that as per laid-down policy of National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), a grid station was required if the electricity consumption exceeded five megawatts.

As the construction of the project moved on, the cost of electricity supply to the building spreading over 6.95 acres also towered.

He said the cost of 20MW electricity supply, which was estimated at Rs252 million in 2007, had now shot up to Rs540 million, and these issues remained unsettled between the CDA and the builders.

Answering a question, he said: It is the job of the agency to lay the drainage facilities, sewage lines, storm water drainage, garbage collection and other civic facilities but all it has been doing is making promises to the foreign investor.

The builders have also complained to CDA over construction of Faisal Avenue Flyover near the building, terming it an intrusion into the privacy of the complex. He added: They [towers management] also informed the authority that the flyover had direct view into the swimming pool of the building, forcing the management to redesign it.

When approached, CDA spokesman Ramzan Sajid claimed: We have no issues with the towers management and the utility facilities will be provided to them very soon.

The authority, he said, had already selected a suitable location for the construction of the grid station and all the civic facilities, including electricity, would be provided to the building.

The CDA had auctioned the commercial plot to the Saudi company running a joint venture with a Pakistani construction firm since 2005. The authority had fetched a record price from the auctioning of the plot. 

DAWN.COM | Islamabad | Centaurus Tower faces uncertain future


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## Karachiite

By Strong Hearted
Lahore Ring Road

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## Aeon

*PM asks PR officials to change mindset*
Tuesday, 28 Sep, 2010

ISLAMABAD: *Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told the railway* officials on Monday to change their mindset, transform the organisation and improve their performance *to become eligible for financial assistance. *

Pakistan Railways is among the state-owned entities selected for restructuring by the Cabinet Committee on Restructuring of SOEs. 

Much time has passed and I have yet to see tangible results on ground, Mr Gilani said during a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Railways and Pakistan Railways. The meeting reviewed progress on implementation of the cabinet committees decision. 

The prime minister said the government could not afford to throw good money after the bad money because it was facing serious financial challenges. 

*In the 21st century, Pakistan needs a railway system that is cheap, efficient, reliable and secure mode of communication, he said and asked the officials to enhance their operational efficiency and make the PR a profit-making organisation. *

He asked Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmad Bilour and Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh to work out a long-term plan to improve efficiency and financial viability of the railways department. 

He said the Pakistan Railways should reclaim its old glory to become a preferred means of travelling for the common man. For achieving this goal, he added, *PR must undergo total transformation. *

*Mr Gilani directed the cabinet committee to finalise restructuring proposals and place them before the cabinet at the earliest, adding that the proposals should have a clear and doable roadmap with timelines and specific targets. *

*In the meantime, he said, the PR should put its house in order and begin work on improving its management.* He said the PR must focus on reducing operating costs by introducing innovation to increase earnings.


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## faisaljaffery

Lahore Ring Road Project Looks Impresive.


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## Tuahaa

Yes it does.

I've only lived in Pakistan for 6 years, and everytime I go back with my family, I just visit extended families...

But now we've decided that we should look around and go other places too- next winter break!

I can't wait to see it!


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## Creder

*
Third phase of water project on the anvil*

RAWALPINDI, Oct 19: The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) is all set to launch the third phase of Khanpur Dam water supply project next week to improve the water distribution network at a cost of Rs690 million.

Talking to Dawn here on Tuesday, Cantonment Executive Officer Rana Manzoor Ahmed Khan said the federal government recently released Rs22 million out of the Rs100 million set aside for the project in the fiscal year 2010-11. An amount of Rs24 million had already been provided last year, he added.

He expressed the hope that after completing the project, water supply to the cantonment areas would increase to 19.6 million gallons daily (MGD). At present, RCB is receiving nine MGD from Khanpur Dam and five MGD from tubewells against its daily requirement of 19 MGD.

The official said under the project, as many as 12 overhead water tanks would be constructed in different areas of Rawalpindi and Chaklala Cantonment boards besides laying new water supply lines.

He said the RCB would also begin installation of water meters at commercial and domestic units to improve the water supply system. The civic body would install 7,000 meters at commercial and residential units in its jurisdiction.

He said the meters would improve water billing system and eliminate theft. It will also help the agency check excess billing and differentiate the cost for commercial and domestic use.

He said there was a dire need to create awareness among the people regarding judicious use of water, adding the water metering system would help the consumers realise the need to avoid excessive use and wastage of water.&#8212;A Reporter

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## Omar1984

*Pak Highway Rehabilitation Project 

World Bank approves $130 million credit
​*

ISLAMABAD: The World Bank (WB) has approved a credit worth $130 million in additional financing for the Pakistan Highway Rehabilitation Project to continue revitalising and modernising Pakistans highway system. 

The project will further create a productive and efficient highway network, lowering transportation bottlenecks and costs, particularly crucial in light of tremendous damage caused by the recent floods. 

The project consists of three components: rehabilitating 514 km of highways, resurfacing 342 km of highways, and reconstructing 128 km of damaged roads that provide vital access to remote and disaster-prone communities. Additionally, the project also reinforces resource allocation, road maintenance, and strengthens the National Highway Authoritys (NHA) capacity. This will complement Pakistans development goals especially with rising per capita income and improving social indicators. 

Improvements in basic infrastructure including highways are critical to improving human development outcomes, said Rachid Benmessaoud, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan. 

With growth, there has been an increase in demand for better infrastructure. However, Pakistans infrastructure platform needs significant investment in order to support Pakistans growth and service delivery goals.

The Pakistan Highway Rehabilitation Project was initially approved in 2003 and has demonstrated transformative results with 884 km of roads having been improved. Stretches in poor condition have been reduced by 20%, travel time between Peshawar and Karachi has been reduced by 9%, and road fatalities also have reduced by a notable 44%. 

This continues to be a very important project, said Zafar I. Raja, Project Team Leader. We are committed to continually improving the three impact indicators  reduction in average vehicle operating costs; reduction in travel time; and improvement in road safety. 

The WB has a long history of partnership and collaboration with Pakistan and has continued its support for a variety of infrastructure projects including improvements of ports and barrages besides improving facilitation of trade and transport. 

The additional financing route was chosen to ensure fast processing of funds for the flood-affected communities. Of the $130.0 million, $20.0 million is part of the billion-dollar floods package announced by the WB. 

The credits from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Banks concessionary arm, have 40 years to maturity with a 10-year grace period; they carry a service charge of 0.75 percent.

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## Omar1984

*E-35 to be completed with Rs 25 billion: Arbab Alamgir ​*

ISLAMABAD, Nov 4 (APP): Hasan Abdal-Mansehra Express Way (E-35) would be completed with an estimated cost of Rs 25 billion and Asian Development Bank would provide funds for the project.This was informed by Minister for Communications Dr Arbab Alamgir here in the National Assembly on Thursday while responding to a Calling Attention Notice regarding non-completion of construction work on Hasan Abdal-Mansehra Express Way which was started two years ago.

The minister while giving details of the project stated, &#8220;E-35 Express Way is 110 kilometre long and divided into two phases, while the length of first phase is 60 Km which will be from Burhan Interchange to Mansehra&#8221;.

He said that the process of land acquisition has been started in the first phase after which the construction work would start.

&#8220;We need 8100 Kanal land for the construction of E-35 which would cost Rs2 billion and for the purpose first tranche of Rs 700 million has been released to the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa in June last&#8221;, he added.
He informed the House that Karakoram Highway (KKH) which starts from Hasan Abdal and culminates at Khunjrab is a very important highway as most of the trade with China is done through this road.

Arbab added that the KKH was constructed to meet the needs of six to seven thousands vehicles, whereas currently over 20,000 vehicles travel on this road daily.

He assured the House that the government is fully aware of the importance of E-35 as there is huge traffic on KKH which is increasing with every passing day. 

Communication minister maintained that after the completion of land acquisition of phase one, the agreement with the Asian Development Bank would be materialized.

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## Omar1984

*NHA collects Rs 4805m revenue from motorways in three years
​*

Islamabad&#8212;State Minister for Communications Imtiaz Safder Warriach on Thursday told the National Assembly that National Highway Authority (NHA) had collected Rs.4805 toll revenue from motorways during the last three years.

In response to question, he said that Rs.1066.879 million was collected from toll revenue in financial year 2006-07, Rs. 1731.404 million in 2007-08 and Rs.2007.451 in 2008-09.

He said Frontier Works Organization (FWO) had been collecting toll revenue since 1997 adding that now all toll plazas would be auctioned through open tender on November 10. He said under the new contract automated system would be installed at all toll plazas.

The minister said that the flash flood damaged 107 kilometers portion of Indus Highway and work would be started on it rehabilitation after releasing funds by government.

To another question, he said that NHA has planned construction/up-gradation of the 4-lane Karachi-Hyderabad Super Highway to a 6-lane Motorway (M-9) through Public Private Partnership. Construction would be completed in 36 months after commencement of works, he added. 

State Minister for Postal Services Abdur Razzaq informed the house that the present value of the assets of Pakistan Post Office damaged due to flood is Rs.228.5 million. He said soon after the fund availability, rehabilitation work would be started.

He said Pakistan Post distributed over 20 million forms of Benazir Income Support Programme across the country.

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## sannu123

Zaki said:


> Good News!
> 
> Lahore ring road is still not yet completed and they are going for Rawalpindi Ring Road? well i would have recommended to accelerate the work of Lahore ring road so it would have been completed soon. Its been many years now since i have been hearing about Lahore R.R. project.
> 
> Rawalpindi Ring road project would be very beneficial for the peoples of Rawalpindi, Islamabad and its sorrounding areas including Jhelum upto Gujrat if this ring road project is ever completed.
> 
> It will help reduce the traffic from GT road and inner part of Rawalpindi


 
Hello friends,,,this is sannu here,,,I'm new ans just join it,,,,,,I like this site very much then i really agree with your post....I think nice comment,,,,,,


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## Karachiite

Kindly introduce yourself in the Member's introduction forum.

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## faisaljaffery

work progress no road development projects is very slow in Pakistan. Ministry of communications should advice the NHA and relevent authrities to increase the pace of work for early completion of these vital highways


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## meocon015

again thanks... your post has good info...


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## CLIPPER4LIFE

From Jang news
Monday, March 28, 2011

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Railways (PR) has completed a feasibility report of the *Chaman-Qandahar railway track* and it has now requested the World Bank to assist in the feasibility of the *Peshawar-Jalalabad route.*

Director Planning Ministry of Railways Aftab Akbar told APP that the PRís top priority is rehabilitation, upgradation of infrastructure and lying of new tracks with an aim to be a hub of economic activities for regional countries.

He said that under the government&#8217;s vision, Pakistan Railways has already completed dualisation of track from Karachi to Lodhran and work is under progress from Lodhran to Lahore.

He said the government, realising the importance of the country&#8217;s geo-strategic importance to regional countries that include Afghanistan, China and Central Asian States, has directed PR to complete dualisation of track from Karachi to Lahore and from Lahore to Peshawar.

Similarly, he said that China is working on feasibility of Hawalian to Khunjrab, adding that the *feasibility report of the 900-km track from Gawadar to Mastung has already been completed.*

He said the government has also introduced &#8220;Open Access Policy&#8221; under which private companies and chambers can run their own freight service by using infrastructure of the Pakistan Railways.

Akbar said that under public-private partnership, the PR has embarked on the construction of dry ports in industrial cities to facilitate transport of raw material and finished goods.

Under this programme, dry ports will be constructed at Sheikhapura and Azakhel. About the upgradation of rolling stock, he said a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been singed with China for import of 202 coaches and 75 engines.

He said out 500 engines, 300 are defective and there is dire need to upgrade the rolling stock. Besides, Pakistan Railways has also launched open tender for purchase of 150 engines from western countries.

Replying to a question, he said Pakistan Railways is annually spending around Rs3 billion on pensioners and Rs4 billion on its police employees which are major contributing factors to the overall deficit of the organisation.

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## CLIPPER4LIFE

Karachi 
_Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas road to be completed by April 2012: Qaim_

our correspondent
Thursday, March 31, 2011


Karachi

The Chief Minister of Sindh, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, has said that roads play a vital role in the development and prosperity of any country, while the government is paying full attention towards the construction, repairing and renovation of essential roads of the province.

He stated this while chairing the fifth meeting of the Public-Private Partnership Policy Board at the Chief Minister&#8217;s House on Tuesday.

Shah, who is also the chairman of the Board, said that by initiating various projects under the Public-Private Partnership, the government of Sindh had taken a lead over other provinces. 

He said that 33 percent work on the Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas dual carriageway had been completed, and the rest would be completed by April 2012. 

The chief minister said that as far as the standard of work was concerned, some good quality imported material was being used. 

The chief minister termed the project an important one. 

Sindh Finance Secretary, Naveed Kamran Baloch, said that a comprehensive Public-Private Partnership policy had been prepared under the guidance of the Asian Development Bank which worked as an impetus to the initiatives in Sindh province. 

The Board members discussed the policy contents and approved the same. 

The public-private partnership board also approved the Project Development Facility Fund guidelines, which shall be followed to develop the public-private partnership projects in future. 

The board also approved funding for the ongoing and subsequent projects to be undertaken under the public-private partnership mode. 

The board was also shown a documentary on the progress on Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas dual carriageway project. 

The participants of the meeting appreciated the pace and quality of work. 

The chief minister was assured by an independent engineer of the project that the road shall be completed within the stipulated time-frame and as per good industry practices.

The public-private partnership policy board also approved financing documents for the Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas dual carriageway project.


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## CLIPPER4LIFE

*&#8216;NHA to get Rs1bn for construction of roads&#8217;*

Sunday, April 10, 2011


ISLAMABAD: The Finance Division informed the Senate Standing Committee on Communications on Saturday that Rs1 billion would be released to the National Highway Authority (NHA) for the construction of roads in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

The committee, which met with Mir Wali Muhammad Badini here in the chair, was informed that Rs250 million were released for the construction of the Hasanabdal-Havelian-Mansehra Expressway (E-35) while Rs250 would be released in the first week of May 2011.

The 109-km-long project would be completed with an estimated cost of Rs50 billion and the Asian Development Bank would provide 80 per cent funds for the project.

The project, which would be a four-lane controlled facility, would start from Burhan Interchange of Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway (M-1) and end at Mansehra bypassing eastern side of Abbottabad.

The committee was also informed that Rs250 million had been released for various roads projects of Balochistan while Rs250 million would be released on Monday.

The committee directed the NHA to complete Quetta-Chaman Road (N-25) before June 2011. The committee also directed the NHA to blacklist Hussnain Construction Company.

The committee also asked the Ministry of Communications to expedite process to regularise eligible workers in the NHA.

The Committee directed the NHA to accelerate process of new appointments in the organisation.

NHA Chairman Muhammad Junaid informed the committee that the ministerial committee headed by Syed Khurshid Shah was working on the regularisation of employees.

The committee also directed the NHA chairman to take action against the employees who were involved in corruption and not performing their duties satisfactorily. The committee also directed the NHA to award contracts to construction companies on merit.

Briefing the committee IG Motorway Police Dr Waseem Kauser informed the committee that the Motorway Police had extended help to about 103,994 persons per month.

About 70 per cent accidents decreased after the Motorway Police took over while 80 per cent crime decreased on highways.

The IG informed that the Motorway Police personnel were being imparted international standard training. The meeting was also attended by Senator Zahir Khan, Senator Mohammad Ismail Buledi and Senator Abdul Rahim Khan Mandokhel.

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## Omar1984

*National Highway Authority discusses construction schemes ​*

ISLAMABAD: The executive board of National Highway Authority (NHA) met Monday under the chairmanship of Chairman Muhammad Junaid and discussed in detail issues relating to various construction schemes undertaken by the authority.

The meeting reviewed various options for realignment of Karakoram Highway at barrier Lake Attaabad, Hunza, Gilgit Baltistan. During the briefing it was apprised that as a first option, a new road 10 meter above the water level would be built. While in the second option, water level may be reduced in Lake to such an extent that the old road be discovered and made usable. 

The meeting was further told that the 2nd option is feasible and low in terms of cost and time. Moreover environment of the area is conducive for construction activity. The 2nd option includes construction of 1.36 Km long bridges and tunnels&#8212;and will cost $281.973 million. Design of the project is flexible to undertake amendments as per requirement. The meeting also discussed various aspects of quality assurance of the project whereas government of China will make 85% funding.

The meeting also accorded approval of the rationalised cost of Rs 46.8 million of Hassanabdal-Havelain-Mansehra Expressway. The meeting approved revision in scope of work due to flood damages on DI Khan-Sarai Gambila section of Indus Highway. Ninety percent (90%) work on this important segment has been completed. The meeting formed a committee to settle the technical aspects of proposed highway research and training centre to be located 5 Km short to Burhan on M-1. NHA is developing this research centre in collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency. The project will cost Rs 898.81 million. The meeting also discussed financial and administrative affairs of NHA.

Dr Waseem Kausar IG NH & MP, Abdul Basit Khan Senior Joint Secretary Ministry of Communications, Mathar Niaz Rana Joint Secretary Ministry of Communications, Muhammad Kazim Idris Chief NTRC, Qazi Iftikhar Ahmed Vice President NESPAK, Munir Ahmed Anjum Chief (T&C) of Planning & Development Division, the Members of NHA and Secretary NHA participated in the meeting. staff report


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## Omar1984

*NHA road project completed ​*
ISLAMABAD: A National Highway Authority (NHA) road project&#8212;funded by the government of Japan, has successfully completed. The project, Kararo-Wadh section of National Highway N-25 in Balochistan, was reportedly granted around $49 by the government of Japan. The project N-25 is an important link road with a total length of 813 km that connects Karachi to Chaman via Quetta. As this route links Afghanistan and neighboring inland countries to the port of Karachi by the shortest route, the importance of N-25 has grown significantly. Transport is an important sector in any economy. In Pakistan, road transport accounts for 89 percent of passenger traffic and 96 percent of the freight traffic. It is therefore of great significance that the road network should not only be maintained but also be widened and rehabilitated. Before the initiation of the project, the 96 km road between Kararo and Wadh was very narrow, had poor visibility, steep inclines and sharp curves that drastically slowed down the progress of large vehicles. staff report


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## Omar1984

*Sindh likely to get Rs27 billion ADB loan ​*

Karachi: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is likely to give a loan of around Rs27 billion to the Sindh government for repairing the embankments on the River Indus and for expanding the road infrastructure. 

This was stated by the chief minister&#8217;s adviser on planning and development, Dr Kaiser Bengali, during a press conference at his office on Thursday.

There was an urgency to repair the irrigation system, especially the embankments, before June to avoid the floods so the provincial government was seeking an &#8220;emergency fund&#8221; from the ADB, the adviser said. 

Bengali said that talks between the representatives of the provincial government and those of the ADB were going on in Islamabad which might culminate in the signing of an MoU for 405 million dollars (Rs27 billion).

Meanwhile, realizing the need for repairing the embankments urgently, the provincial and the federal governments had released over three billion rupees for that purpose, said the adviser.

He clarified that the money spent on the repair of the river&#8217;s dykes would be repaid by the federal government as the repair of the dykes was the responsibility of the Centre.

Speaking of the government&#8217;s plan for improving the road network, Bengali said seven new highways connecting the scattered districts would be developed. 

He said the 60km-long, Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas dual carriageway was expected to be completed by April 2012.

All these highways would be built under the public-private-partnership mode, the adviser said.

Bengali said that these highways would reduce the travel time between Sukkur and Karachi from seven hours to over four, between Karachi and Thatta from two hours to 45 minutes and between Dadu and Karachi to two hours.

The adviser said that some international firms had shown their interest in these projects, especially the Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas dual carriageway which alone had elicited interests from around 15 firms.

He said these highways would cost the exchequer more, but they would also last longer than the roads built by the Works and Services Department which start decaying within three years.

The adviser said these highways would have a higher rate of toll tax. He justified this by saying that one had to pay more for a product of fine quality.


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## Omar1984

*24 bridges, 1 tunnel constructed in five years: NA told ​*

ISLAMABAD, April 11 (APP): Minister for Communication Dr. Arbab Alamgir Khan said on Monday said that 24 bridges and one tunnel had been constructed by the National Highways Authority (NHA) during last five years.The minister informed the National Assembly in a written reply that an expenditure of Rs. 5808 million was incurred on these projects from June 2005 to November 2010.The bridges included Jalala Bridge and Tor Bridge on N-45, seven bridges on N-50, Shershah Bridge across river Chenab near Muzaffargarh and nine other bridges on N-70, Baba Farid Bridge across river Sutlej at Dhakpattan, bridge across river Indus at Larkana on N-55, Thakot bridge across river Indus on N-35,Chund Bridge across river Chenab and Phor Nai Nullah on N-10. One Lakpass Tunanel (Born) was also constructed on N-25, he said. 

To another question, he said that NHA Chairman Altaf Ahmad Ch. retired from regular service on superannuation on November 30, 2010 but was re-appointed on the same post on contract on December 1, 2010.

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## CLIPPER4LIFE

Govt completed 5814 development schemes in last three yearsAPP Yesterday
Pakistan Housing Authority (PHA) has also completed a number of housing projects in Islamabad in G-10, G-11 besides in G-7 and G-8 sectors and its allottees are residing in their own houses in a beautiful and healthy environment. - File Photo.


ISLAMABAD: The government has completed 5814 development schemes costing Rs.20,419 million across the country during the last three years under Peoples Works Programme (PWP) while the work on 536 schemes is in progress.

The work of development schemes was assigned to Pakistan Public Works Department (PWD), an organ of Ministry of Housing and Works.

According to details, PWD has been carrying out 106 more development schemes under Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) during the current financial year with an allocation of Rs.1527 million.

Pakistan Housing Authority (PHA) has also completed a number of housing projects in Islamabad in G-10, G-11 besides in G-7 and G-8 sectors and its allottees are residing in their own houses in a beautiful and healthy environment.

PHA has also acquired 15 acres land from CDA in 1-12 sector for the construction of flats for government officers of BS-17 to 19 which exists at an ideal location in the midst of the twin cities besides launching of housing project for BS-20 to 22 government officers in Kurri Road near Chak Shahzad.

PHA has also launched similar housing schemes for the government employees and general public in Karachi and Lahore and started work in housing scheme under PM Housing Programme in a remote area of Turbat, Balochistan to provide shelter to the people of this backward area.

In his first address to the Parliament, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani while elaborating priorities of his government revealed that one million housing units would be constructed for the needy, poor, government employees and general public on affordable cost.

Under the directive, Pakistan Housing Authority and Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation have embossed on this gigantic program to realize the dream into reality.


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## Omar1984

*Freight trains operation​*

IPDF invites EoI from private sector

* Private parties to be allowed to operate trains on PR infrastructure

By Ijaz Kakakhel

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly (NA) on Wednesday was informed that in collaboration with Pakistan Railways (PR), Infrastructure Project Development Facility (IPDF) has invited Expression of Interest (EoI) from corporate houses, consortiums, and other interested private parties for freight trains operation on PR infrastructure under Open Track Policy.

The IPDF is a company established under the aegis of the Ministry of Finance to facilitate the development of infrastructure projects under public private partnership methodology. An EOI has been materialised to invite offering from private sector, the House informed in written. Under the Open Track Policy, the private operators will bring their own rolling stock locomotives and operate trains on PR infrastructure. The private parties will be able to operate trains by payment of Track Access Charge (TAC) to PR for predetermined concession period.

However, there is no proposal under consideration to allow the private parties to construct their own railway stations. For improving good governance in PR, Federal Minister for Railways Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour said administrative setup is being restructured. &#8220;Signaling on Lodhran &#8212;Multan Khanewal Raiwind&#8212;Shandara Bagh section is being improved,&#8221; he told.

There are multiple projects in process, which after completion would improve efficiency of the Railways. Some of these projects are rehabilitation of 400 coaches&#8212;which is under process&#8212;and a scheme for procurement of 202 modern coaches from china&#8212;this scheme also is under process. The project of doubling of track from Lodhran to Raiwind is under process and the main line track from Landhi to Rohri is being rehabilitated. The minister said 41 railway stations have been computerised for ticketing online reservation. A new reservation office has started functioning at Karachi Cantt Railway Station&#8212;the previous reservation office at Karachi was congested causing inconvenience to the traveling public. Similarly, at Lahore, new reservation office has stared functioning for convenience of public.

&#8220;To discourage the tendency of black marketing, frequent announcements are being made at stations&#8212;whereas we request passengers to purchase tickets from ticket window only,&#8221; he maintained. He told surprise raids &#8220;are being conducted frequently to curb black marketing of tickets.&#8221;

To another question, Federal Minister for Railways informed the House in written that train service for Afghan Transit Trade has been plying since 1965. A total of 264 trains loaded with Afghan Transit Cargo were plied during year 2009-10. About 16589 wagons were loaded with Afghan Transit Cargo during year 2009-10 which generated revenue of Rs 786 million. About last integrated study for PR improvement, the minister said it was carried out in December 1999 when a number of steps were taken for restructuring and rightsizing of PR. Salient recommendations of the study are: Purchase of new locomotives and passenger coaches. Manufacturing of locomotives on Transfer of Technology (TOT) basis at Locomotive Factory Risalpur. Purchase / manufacturing of high capacity wagons. Track Renewal project. Manufacturing of AC Business and standard coaches. Introduction of non-stop train service between Lahore, Rawalpindi.


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## Omar1984

*Pakistan army to build road link to Afghanistan​*

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan army chief General Ashfaq Kayani launched a major road project Thursday that will be a vital trade route between the nation&#8217;s lawless tribal region and Afghanistan, the military said.

General Kayani visited the tribal North Waziristan region to inaugurate the 80-kilometre (50-mile) road project, being undertaken by the Pakistan army.

The road from the northwestern Pakistani town of Bannu to Ghulam Khan on the Afghan border will cost four billion rupees ($48 million), the military said in a statement, adding it was aimed at social development of the tribal areas.

The project would be completed in 18 months, linking remote areas of North Waziristan to other parts of the country, it said.

&#8220;The road will provide a central trade route between Pakistan and Afghanistan. This will open multiple opportunities for the people of North Waziristan,&#8221; it added.

The United States has branded the northwestern tribal area, which lies outside Pakistani government control, a global headquarters of Al-Qaeda and one of the most dangerous places on Earth.

US officials have pressured Pakistan to open a major offensive in North Waziristan, but Pakistani commanders say their troops are already overstretched.

With an estimated 147,000 forces in the northwest &#8212; more than the number of US-led foreign troops in Afghanistan &#8212; the Pakistani army has also endured heavy losses.

Addressing tribal elders, General Kayani said he appreciated their &#8220;support and acknowledged their sacrifices in the war against terrorism.&#8221;

He reiterated the army&#8217;s resolve to bring peace and stability to the affected areas and to protect the lives and property of the tribals, against all internal as well as external threats.

North Waziristan, considered a notorious Afghan Taliban and Al-Qaeda bastion in Pakistan, has been the target of repeated US drone attacks.

The attacks doubled in the area last year, with more than 100 drone strikes killing over 670 people in 2010 compared with 45 strikes that killed 420 in 2009, according to an AFP tally.


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## Omar1984

*NHA to dualise Karakoram Highway​*

ISLAMABAD: National Highway Authority (NHA) has planned to dualise the Karakoram Highway. In first phase, 109 km Burhan-Havelliaan-Mansaehra Express way has been planned at a cost of Rs 25 billion&#8212;which will be funded by ADB, NHA member Sabir Hassan said while speaking to the participants of 9th Senior Management Course during their visit NHA headquarter.

Discussing the Attaabad Lake, Sabir Hassan said it has become a permanent feature and the 18 km of submerged road will have to be relocated&#8212;&#8220;and the design of the new alignment is in process of being finalised.&#8221;

NHA is working on 141 projects in the country comprising 8900 km of roads costing Rs 774 billion&#8212;while NHA is also working on 58 projects of 4259 km roads in the provinces.

He said Chinese firms are working on Karakoram Highway for its rehabilitation from Raikot Bridge to Khunjrab Pass, he added. 

Recalling the previous year&#8217;s severe spell of rains and floods, he said it badly damaged the road network&#8212;but the efforts of NHA engineers and workers restored it. Heavy rains and subsequent floods caused damage of Rs 18.77 billion to NHA network. All the roads have been temporarily opened for traffic, but Rs 22.4 billion will be required for its complete rehabilitation and restoration.

Sabir Hassan told that Pakistan&#8217;s ideal strategic location possesses great significant with regard to facilitating the transit trade activity in this region&#8212;and NHA is fully aware to develop its network as per future needs. Total length of NHA network is 11900 km, which is the only 4% of entire network, but 80% of commercial traffic and passenger&#8217;s transportation is attached with it.

He further said NHA has undertaken big plans like North-South expressway/ Motorway system, development of linkages between National Trade Corridor (NTC) and Gwadar Port and up gradation of Karakoram Highway to enable Pakistan to play a central role in regional transit trade activity. He added that plan of National Trade Corridor links all the major arteries of Pakistan with the ports of Karachi and Gwadar. He informed the guests that the NTC would reduce 50% travelling time, 10% transportation expenditure and 70% of fatalities in accidents.

He said NHA is employing the latest construction technology for building and repair of roads and bridges throughout the country.

Sabir Hassan told that keeping in view the NHA&#8217;s good performance, and trust in its capabilities, 47 provincial projects of 4315 km roads and 21 bridge projects have been entrusted to NHA through federalisation. 

In order to protect the roads asset 45x weigh stations are working to control overloading while 57x weight stations more are also planned. Toll Collection system is being improved and at present 84x Toll Plaza are operational. Besides grants of government of Pakistan, NHA projects are implemented with the cooperation of International Monetary bodies.


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## Omar1984

*11 mega projects okayed to ensure smooth traffic in Peshawar​*
PESHAWAR - Keeping in view the frequent blockade of roads and increasing flow of vehicles, a high level meeting, held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti on Wednesday, approved at least 11 mega projects.

The meeting was also attended by senior ministers Rahim Dad Khan and Bashir Ahmad Bilour, Sports and Tourism Minister Syed Aqil Shah, Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Chief Secretary Ghulam Dastgir Akhtar, Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) Director General Qazi Laeeq Ahmad and others.

Qazi Laeeq briefed the participants about the proposals aimed at ensuring smooth flow of traffic and making easy access to the transport around the city.
Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain told the journalists that the work on Gulbahar Fly Over, to be constructed with an estimated cost of Rs 670 million, would be started in the second week of this month and added that the fly over would go along one kilometer from Ring Road Bridge till Gul Bahar Chawk on main G T Road.

He further said the work on another fly over from Nishtar Hall till Bacha Khan Chawk on Charsada Road with an estimated cost of Rs two billion would be commenced from the second week of coming April.

Similarly, the construction work on an incomplete portion of Ring Road from Charsada Road till Jamrud Road would also be started during this period, he added.

He said the government could be in a better position to settle the road blockade issue inside the city with the completion of these projects He said the government was also planning to construct several other roads for easing burden on the existing roads.


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## Karachiite

*EXIM Bank of China to finance Karachi, Faisalabad and Gwadar motorway project
*
BEIJING: The EXIM Bank of China Thursday expressed its readiness to finance Karachi-Faisalabad-Gwadar Motorway and will soon send a team of experts to Pakistan for a feasibility study of the proposed project.

The assurance came during a meeting between Chairman EXIM Bank Li Ruogu and Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani here.

Gilani said the financing of Karachi-Faisalabad-Gwadar Motorway project by EXIM Bank will be another shining example of the deep rooted Pak-China friendship and cooperation.

The Prime Minister appreciated the financial contribution of the EXIM Bank in major communication, energy and other projects in Pakistan like the Karakorum Highway, Chashma Nuclear Power Project and Saindak Copper and Gold mines.

EXIM Bank of China to finance Karachi, Faisalabad and Gwadar motorway project


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## GHOST RIDER

Pakistan SkyLine Building Diagram

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## brational

GHOST RIDER said:


> Pakistan SkyLine Building Diagram


 
Beautiful Presentation... Hats off!! Some verbal description wud hv made it better..

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## robinkipson

Thanks for sharing this post with us.


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## GHOST RIDER

World trade centre Pakistan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRPA1TkYV5E&feature=related


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## GHOST RIDER




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## AsianLion

thats fast but is it effective ?

*Transport infrastructure: Kalma Chowk flyover to open from 25th?
*By Rana Yasif
Published: July 16, 2011




_
Commuters will relief soon: It will be ranked as the fastest structure of the kind to have been completed in the country._

*LAHORE:* *A section of the Kalma Chowk flyover will be completed by July 25, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif announced on Friday. He said the remaining part too will be completed by August 14, making it the fastest structure of the kind to have been completed in the country.
*
*Project Director Sabir Khan,* however, said he was only committed to the August 14 deadline for the project when the project was scheduled to be inaugurated by the chief minister.

Pressed on the July 25 completion date mentioned by the chief minister while talking to the media, he said while the structure had been completed, finishing touches remained to be applied. This, he said, included surfacing of the pavement, lane markings, installation of reflectors and placement of flower pots etc. By August 14, we will have finished not only these things but also completed the other section.

He said 50 per cent of the deck slabs were already in place on the second section.

He said neither the chief minister nor anybody from the CM Secretariat had taken him into confidence about bringing forward the deadline.

A senior Transport Department official, seeking anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the subject, told The Express Tribune the northen section would be completed by July 25 and the southern section by August 8. He said the practice so far had been to open such projects for traffic as soon as they were complete without waiting for any ceremony.

*LRMT MoU signed 

*Construction work on the *Lahore Mass Transit Train project *will begin on August 14, Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif said on Friday. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the Punjab government and a Chinese company, NORINCO, in this regard on Friday. Of the 27-kilometre (km) railway track from Gajju Matta on Ferozepur Road to Shahdara, about 7 km will be underground.

Khawaja Ahmad Hasaan, the_ Lahore Transport Company (LTC)_ chairperson signed the agreement on behalf of the city government. The chief minister and MPA Mehr Ishtiaq Ahmad were also present.

The chief minister said that a feasibility report for the project had put _the cost at $2.4 billion_.

However, it will now be completed at a cost of $1.7 billion after the Chinese company agreed to forgo profit.

Zhang Shiping, the Norinco vice president, reiterated that the company will not profit from the project.

He also said that Chinese Ex Im bank will provide a foreign exchange loan for the project. Shiping said that the project will be completed in four years for which technology will be provided to the Punjab government.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 16th, 2011.

Transport infrastructure: Kalma Chowk flyover to open from 25th?  The Express Tribune


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## CLIPPER4LIFE

*NHA Authority all projects update*​
heres the link 
http://nha.gov.pk/nhadocs/project-report-july-2011.pdf

(its too long to put on the forum, and if someone wants to be my guest)


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## Omar1984

*&#8216;New bridge to bring prosperity in KP&#8217;​*

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Communications Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan Khalil has said that the construction of a new bridge at Khushalgarh will bring a new era of progress and prosperity in the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwah (KP).

This bridge not only connects KP to Punjab but it also connects the GT Road (the economic lifeline of the country) to the Indus Highway at N-55. Dr Arbab expressed these views while addressing a large public gathering on the eve of groundbreaking ceremony of the bridge performed by the Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani. 

Federal minister said that this 373 meters long bridge will be two-lane which can be upgraded into four-lane in future to accommodate the traffic pressure. The said project will be completed in two packages, and this Rs 24 billion project will be completed in 24 months, whereas MOL Pakistan and OGDCL Pakistan will provide assistance to the NHA in this project. He further said that after the discovery of oil and gas reserves in Kohat district, this &#8220;bridge will be of importance in transporting crude oil to Attock Oil Refinery.&#8221; staff report


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## Omar1984

*NHA chairman briefed on federal road projects ​*
ISLAMABAD: Chairman National Highway Authority (NHA) Syed Muhammad Ali Gardezi presided over a high level meeting in which matters related to National Trade Corridor(NTC), up-gradation of Karakoram Highway (KKH) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded projects were reviewed.

NHA members and General Managers of the projects participated in the meeting.

The Chairman NHA was told that ADB is funding highway projects amounting to US$ 1834 million, out of which Hub-Uthal project and Muslim Bagh-Qila Saifullah project in Baluchistan have been completed at a cost of Rs 3032 million and Rs 1647million respectively.

He was informed that work on 231 km Qalat-Quetta-Chamanroad, Qila Saifullah-Zhob road, Waigum Rud-Khajuri road, D.I.Khan-Sarai Gambella road, Alpuri-Besham road and Sukhur Jacobabad road projects is in progress.

The Chairman was told that ADB has also expressed desire for providing more funds for upcoming NHA projects including Zhob-Mughal Kot, Qila Saifullah-Loralai-Waigum Rud,Lakpass-Noshki,Quetta Dhader and Tarnol-Fateh Jang projects.

The Chairman was told that in order to promote domestic commercial activity and facilitate regional transit trade, NHAhas under taken gigantic project of National Trade Corridor (NTC)that will connect NHA network with ports of Karachi and Gawdar.

This project comprises 18 components with total length of3800 km, and will cost Rs 366 billion. NTC, once completed, will reduce 50% travel time, 10% transportation cost and will alsoresult in decreasing the road fatalities by 50%. He was told that work on 241 km Multan-Faisalabad motorway and 109 km Hassanabdal-Havelian road, which are part of NTC, will soon start. The estimated cost of the projects is Rs. 33 billion and Rs. 55billion respectively.

The meeting was further told that up-gradation and rehabilitation of KKH stands amongst the top priorities of NHA, and its stretch from Raikot to Khunjrab is being upgraded with technical and financial assistance of China. Nearly 56% of the work is completed and rest of the work will be completed by Julynext year, costing US$510.2 million.

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## Omar1984

*Gilani inaugurates Rs 12 billion Islamabad-Murree Expressway ​*

LOWER TOPA (Murree), Aug 30 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Tuesday inaugurated the over Rs 12 billion Islamabad-Murree Expressway, terming it a new strategic link with Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Gilani unveiled the plaque of the four-lane 50 km long winding road through the picturesque Murree hills and addressed a large gathering of workers of Pakistan Peoples Party from the nearby areas. The Expressway would divide the traffic burden on the older route to Murree.

The Expressway has been constructed along a new alignment in the hilly terrain by the Pakistani engineers. Special considerations for structural design have been kept in view to check landslides and to make the travel safe. 

Two phases of the Expressway that will eventually link Islamabad to the capital of AJK-Muzaffarabad have been completed. 

In the third phase, the existing road will be widened and upgraded from Lower Topa to Kohala, while in the final phase the section from Kohala to Muzaffarabad would be improved.


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## ghazi52

*New Islamabad airport to be operational by 2014: CAA*

ISLAMABAD: The New Islamabad International Airport, located in Fateh Jang Tehsil of Attock District some 30 kilometres southwest of the Federal Capital, is expected to be completed and operational by 2014.

According to a spokesman of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) here on Tuesday, a Chinese company and Frontier Works Organization (WFO) are working round the clock to complete construction of passengers terminals buildings before the deadline.

Talking to APP, he said the new airport will replace the existing one, Benazir Bhutto International Airport located at Chaklala.

At present, the Benazir Bhutto International Airport is handling 18 airlines, adding, most of the international commercial flights are operated at morning time, which cause rush and delays.

He, however, expressed the confidence that the new airport spread over 3,600-acre would not only serve the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi but also the adjoining provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The new airport will have a modular design to handle 6.5 million passengers per annum and 80,000 metric tonnes cargo per annum. Daily News.


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## GHOST RIDER

Centarus as of August 2011

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## SHAMK9

*CDA all set to launch Margalla Enclave

In continuation of its moneymaking ventures to get the cash-starved civic body out of financial crises, the Capital Development Authority is going to lunch Margalla Enclave, a small housing colony, in Sector E-11.
*
It seems good days are awaiting the authority, as it is expecting to generate much more than 57 percent of approximately Rs6 billion, a cooperative housing society has promised as Authority&#8217;s share in result of development and consequently sale of 54 acres in northern strip of Sector E-11 under a joint venture.

The housing colony will be developed on the same area, the Authority has taken back recently from the control of a cooperative housing society, Multi Professional Cooperative Housing Society (MPCHS), in pursuance of Apex Court&#8217;s decision.

CDA plans to avail, at first, the balloting option to sale out some 70 residential plots each measuring approximately 500 square yards and some slightly above in area. While in second phase 15-20 residential plots will be sold through open auction, while the auction of commercial plots held in third phase. The price, Authority has decided for residential plot measuring 500 square yards, is Rs15 million, with 30 percent as down payment while rest in six equal instalments. CDA has made some slight changes in layout plan of 54-acre stretch of land by decreasing commercial area owing to ongoing downward trend in real estate market, specifically of commercial land. While residential area has been increased to get some good inputs. According to an earlier layout plan of 54-acre stretch of land in northern strip, 47.58-kanal of land was reserved for the residential plots, 112.05-kanal for high rise and medium rise apartment plots, 29.86-kanal for commercial plots, 70.51-kanal for institutional and 27.28-kanal for the establishment of education and health facilities, 127.21-kanal for roads and 16.64-kanal for parks and open spaces.

Earlier, under a joint venture agreement (JVA), the project was given to MPCHS in 2008 and Supreme Court took suo moto notice after media reports alleged, irregularities in the award of the contract to the society.

CDA had already taken over the project in the light of apex court directions and decided to sale out commercial and residential plots in Northern Strip in Sector E-11.


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## CLIPPER4LIFE

*MoF decides to build Karachi to Hyderabad Motorway
*​* Also decides to invite international firms for making investment in Rs 15 bilion project

By Sajid Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Finance here on Tuesday decided to build Karachi to Hyderabad Motorway on Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) basis and international firms will be invited for making investment in Rs 15 billion project, official sources informed.

A coordination committee has been formed to speed up the process for award of contract through international bidding to the international firms and bidding of the project will be conducted under strict Pakistan Public Procurement Regulatory Authority, added the official sources. 

Federal Minister for Finance Dr Hafeez Shaikh chaired the meeting, which reviewed the progress on the key communication projects where international investors have shown interest, officials from NHA, Planning Commission also participated in the meeting. 

Dr Shaikh formed a coordination committee to expedite the BOT projects and attract serious local and international parties for participating in these projects.

A brief strategy for the fast track execution of projects was put forward by Planning Commission (PC) Implementation and Monitoring member. In a presentation, the member proposed that an Implementation Board comprising PC deputy chairman as chairman, and representatives from the concerned ministries/departments, is needed which will have its own constitution and legal entity. This board will focus on assisting Executing Agencies (EAs) to implement rules, regulation, policies and procedures for PPP arrangements, keeping in view laws and regulations defined by procurement regulators (PPRA) and International Standards. Facilitate EAs for underdevelopment projects to ensure timely execution and completion. Coordinate among different ministries and departments to ensure fast track development and management of projects under PPP arrangements. Coordinate with banks and financial institutions to devise and implement strategies for minimising time consumed in the arrangement of financing for the concessionaire. Provide a forum for finalisation of agreements between EAs and investors/developers, under PPP arrangements, where implementation body will act neutral to provide a balance between interests of public and private parties.

The National Highway Authority (NHA) chairman added that the said board will prove to be useful and it will assist NHA in many ways. While concluding the meeting, the finance minister agreed to form a coordination committee, which will work on the same lines as of the proposed Implementation Board. The committee will comprise of PC deputy chairman, member, NHA chairman, secretary communication and secretary planning. This committee will especially focus on construction of mega project of Karachi to Hyderabad Motorway M-9.

After completion of Karachi to Hyderabad Motorway - 134.5 kilometres long M-9 project - the government would reportedly generate a net revenue of Rs 1.805 billion in the first year  2013 - while over 25 years net revenue is forecast to reach Rs 24.383 billion.

Working papers of the six-lane motorway M-9 project available with Daily Times revealed that after escalation, total cost of the project is estimated to be Rs 16.845 billion and it would complete within two years from 2011-2012. Construction of M-9 project would reportedly be completed in five phases, whereas escalation cost could rise at the rate of 5.0 percent each year during the entire five phases. However, in break-up of estimated cost, Rs 13.781 billion would be spent on construction of the motorway, while Rs 3.064 billion is estimated to be spent in the form of other costs including toll plaza equipment, lighting, communication system, rescue and recovery ambulances, etc.

Working papers for the said project explained that the federal government has set the deadline for completion of the project by December 26, 2012, while after completion of the project trade efficiency through land route would increase as well as time and fuel can also be saved on travelling from Karachi to Hyderabad. Proposal for construction of M-9 was reportedly submitted on April 12, 2010, whereas the document revealed that the government was committed to start constructing the said project from January 1, 2011.

Additionally, the M-9 project appears to be an investment opportunity in the immediate term and given the fact that a firm which submitted a bid to undertake the M-9 project in 2006 and forecast an internal rate of return of over 30 percent but was unable to pursue the same due to political reasons. Whereas NHA has recently guaranteed an internal rate of return of 22 percent and according to the diligence of the financial consultants of Employees Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) and Deloittee International, the M-9 project could potentially bear an internal rate of return of over 28 percent for the EOBI funds, although EOBI submitted an unsolicited proposal of NHA - expressing its wish to undertake the project, the working paper revealed.

The document also maintained that over 25 years, the federal government would be able to generate revenue up to Rs 24.383 billion till year 2035.

---------- Post added at 10:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:21 AM ----------

* Luwari Road Tunnel*

&#8216;PM promises to provide Rs 1.5bn for early completion&#8217; 

ISLAMABAD: The Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has promised to provide Rs 1.5 billion for the early completion of Luwari Road Tunnel, whereas the government has allocated Rs 6.5 billion this year for construction projects of National Highway Authority (NHA) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 

Federal Minister for Communications Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan Khalil said this at a meeting chaired by him in the Ministry of Communications. The meeting was also attended by the National Assembly Member from Chitral Shahzada Mohayy-ud-din, Federal Secretary Communications Anwar Ahmad Khan, Additional Secretary Amjad Nazeer, NHA Chairman Syed Muhammad Ali Gardezi, Construction Member Aurangzeb Khan, Luwari Tunnel Colonel GM (r) Salman Arshad, representatives of SAMBO and other high officials.

Earlier, the federal minister was briefed on the progress of NHA projects. He was told that the National Highway Council recently reviewed the development portfolio of NHA for Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2011-12 and approved province-wise distribution of funds. In the current budget 2011-12, Rs 8782.36 million have been allocated by NHA for Balochistan which is 24.18 percent of the total PSDP allocation of NHA amounting to Rs 39,900.26 million.

Likewise, 38.50 percent funds are allocated for Punjab, 16.68 percent Sindh, 16.17 percent for KP and 4.46 percent for Gilgit Baltistan.

While emphasising the significance of homogenous development across the country, the minister said that equitable distribution of PSDP resources among all the provinces will go a long way in inter-provincial harmony. Commenting upon the slow pace of work on Luwari Tunnel, the federal minister said that we are determined to timely complete Luwari Tunnel. He clarified that the delay in its construction has been only due to last year&#8217;s flood, law and order situation and shortage of funds. He told that devastating floods of monsoon 2010, forced the government to divert some of the funds for rehabilitation of flood affectees and reconstruction of flood-affected areas. To accommodate flood related expenditure, the government imposed 50 percent cut on PSDP 2010-11 including the share of NHA. NHA received only Rs 18 billion out of its PSDP allocation. Consequently, NHA projects across Pakistan were impacted by the cut in PSDP due to which cash flow of the contractors got disturbed and progress on ground suffered. However, he added, we are committed to early completion of all projects. He said that NHA as per policy decision is according maximum attention to projects, which have achieved 60 percent or more progress. Once these ongoing projects are substantially completed, NHA would embark upon other planned projects for which feasibility studies, design, etc, are already in hand. staff report

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## CLIPPER4LIFE

*Infrastructure: Body formed to expedite Karachi motorway project*


ISLAMABAD: 
Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh has formed a coordination committee to expedite execution of development projects based on build, operate and transfer (BOT) mechanism and to attract local and international parties for participating in these projects.
Chairing a meeting here on Tuesday, Shaikh constituted the committee, which he said would work on the same lines as the proposed implementation board. The committee will comprise Planning Commission deputy chairman, commission&#8217;s member (implementation and monitoring), National Highway Authority (NHA) chairman, communications secretary and planning secretary.
The committee will especially focus on construction of the mega Karachi-Hyderabad motorway (M-9) project.
Earlier, the Planning Commission&#8217;s member (implementation and monitoring) presented a brief strategy for fast track execution of projects and proposed constitution of an implementation board.
He said the board would assist executing agencies in implementing rules, regulations, policies and procedures for public-private partnership arrangements, keeping in view laws and regulations defined by procurement regulators and international standards.


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## CLIPPER4LIFE

*GBLA wants construction of Pak-Tajikistan road via Ghizer By Our Correspondent | From the Newspaper (8 hours ago) Today
*

GILGIT, Sept 13: The Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly on Tuesday adopted a resolution demanding construction of the Pakistan-Tajikistan Road via Ghizer district of Gilgit-Baltistan instead of Chitral district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The resolution was tabled by Nawaz Khan Naji.

Member Rehmat Khaliq said this road was inaugurated by Benazir Bhutto during her second term and now the present government of PPP was deviating from the decision of its former leaders which was a matter of great concern.

Law Minister Wazir Shakil said the GB government would take up the issue with the centre. Chief Minister Syed Mehdi Shah assured the house that the matter would be taken up with the concerned quarters.

Opposition leader Bashir Ahmed tabled a motion seeking attention of the government towards removal of a local daily off the list of the central media by the ministry of information.

The opposition leader alleged the GB government was attacking on the freedom of the press and harassing journalists, saying, a local journalist was tortured by the police in custody for reporting against them.

The chief minister said an inquiry had been ordered into the police raid on the office of the newspaper.

MEETING:

A high-level meeting on Tuesday reviewed law and order situation in the region. Chief Minister Syed Mehdi Shah chaired the meeting, official sources said.

The meeting was attended by senior officials of the administration, police, intelligence agencies as well as other stakeholders.

The chief minister directed the law-enforcers to utilise all resources to defeat those who were involved in disturbing the peaceful atmosphere in the area.

The sources said chief minister expressed his dismay over the performance of police and asked them to go hard against criminals. Later, the chief minister held a meeting with members of the assembly and council belonging to Gilgit city and took them into confidence about the measures he had ordered for maintaining peace in the area.

WOMEN IN SPORTS:

The Gilgit-Baltistan government was encouraging participation of women in sports to enable them to demonstrate their talent.

This was stated by the adviser to the chief minister on tourism, sports and youth affairs while responding to a question posed by a woman member during question answer hour of the ongoing session of the house. She said the women were totally ignored by previous governments and it was only the PPP government which was strengthening them in all spheres of life especially in sports. She said women emancipation was the priority of the present government.

She claimed to have been in contact with those girls who had excelled in examinations to pursue them to aggressively take part in sports activities.

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## Omar1984

CLIPPER4LIFE said:


> *GBLA wants construction of Pak-Tajikistan road via Ghizer By Our Correspondent | From the Newspaper (8 hours ago) Today
> *
> 
> GILGIT, Sept 13: The Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly on Tuesday adopted a resolution demanding construction of the Pakistan-Tajikistan Road via Ghizer district of Gilgit-Baltistan instead of Chitral district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The resolution was tabled by Nawaz Khan Naji.



Interesting but the road will have to go through the Wakhan Corridor of Afghanistan to get to Tajikistan, or will have to go through China to get to Tajikistan. Unfortuantely, Pakistan does not share a border with Tajikistan, because the British created a Wakhan Corridor to separate their empire from the Russian empire.






Wakhan Corridor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## CLIPPER4LIFE

In all honesty trade to the CAR's should go through Afghanistan. it might not be the safest but it is the fastest way to get there. Going from the Karakoram highway, to China, and then eventually into the CAR's is economically not feasible. Gas is going to be wasted and it's going to be closed off in the winter, not to mention the unexpected landslides. All we have to do is invest in Afghanistan's infrastructure projects and their will be an economic boom in the northern areas.


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## CLIPPER4LIFE

*Saarc summit: Gilani to take up Pakistan-Tajik road link project with Karzai​*
Prime Minister says project closely connected with transit trade.
ISLAMABAD:*
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Sunday said that he would take up the Pakistan-Tajikistan road project with Afghan President Hamid Karzai during the forthcoming summit meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) to be held in the Maldives next month.
The prime minister was talking to Gilgit-Baltistan Governor Pir Karam Ali Shah, who called on him at the Prime Minister House in the federal capital. He said that the completion of the project would provide the shortest possible route to the people of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan, besides reinvigorating their historical, cultural and trade ties spread over hundreds of years.
The road project as visualised will connect Pakistan with Tajikistan by passing through eight-kilometre-long Wakhan corridor of Afghanistan.
The prime minister said the project was compatible with the agenda of Saarc summit which is called Connectivity.
The prime minister said it was his vision to develop good relations with the countries of the region. I visited a number of countries like Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, India, Iran, China and the Central Asian Republics to further my vision, he said.
Gilani said that connectivity was intertwined with transit trade and Pakistan was keen to enhance trade with Afghanistan and beyond.
Recalling the signing of Transit Trade Agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan, he said that trade among the countries of the region had to be enhanced for which establishment of road and rail networks was essential. Premier Gilani said that he would highlight the cause of connectivity at the Saarc summit because it would not only build bridges among people of the member countries but also create an enabling environment for their socio-economic development.
The Gilgit Baltistan governor told the prime minister that the construction of road on Pakistans side would require Rs2 billion, while Tajikistan had already completed the construction of road and bridge on its side of border. He said that he recently travelled to Tajikistan via old route to meet his relatives and friends there.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 10th, 2011.


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## CLIPPER4LIFE

*Gwadar-Rotardaro motorway updates from Febuary 2010*
This is from Febuary 2010 but i havn't seen any news really on the subject of Gwadar-Rotadaro Motorway, and i think its a good find
Part1 

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=htt...QAcUuUBAQA-S1lC7-R_tPdv87nsgnVq9ROjMFKIb06uHA 

Part 2
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=htt...QCb_zIyAQDJAlSmasb7-BGI3ckjObZtLayIM8oOOGDTWA

Basically it's saying that the Khudzar to shahdadkhot section on the gwadar motorway was being constructed. By now it probably has finished, and the Chinese have even prepared to give a loan for the motorway so cash shoul'dnt be the problem.


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## Omar1984

*Gilgit-Tajikistan Road to bring progress in region* 

ISLAMABAD, Oct 18 (APP): The proposed road between Gilgit-Baltistan to Tajikistan would open up new avenues of progress and prosperity in the region, besides turning Gilgit as an international city.The estimated Rs. 2 billion Gilgit Tajikistan Road would connect Pakistan to the land-locked Central Asian states, where virgin yet vast natural reserves await access to international markets.Pakistan is the only country through which Central Asian State could do business with the outer world either through Gawadar Port in Balochistan Province or the proposed Gilgit-Tajikistan Road.Pir Karam Ali Shah, the Governor of Gilgit-Baltistan, had recently met with both President and Prime Minister to apprise them of the importance of 220-km-long road.The GB Governor&#8217;s Camp Office in Islamabad told Pir Karam Ali Shah had assuranced by both president and prime minister to take up the issue seriously. 

It was learnt through the Camp Office that people of Gilgit-Baltistan were eager to have that road, which they hope, would turn the fate of their region.

The road would provide the shortest possible route to the people of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan, besides reinvigorating their historical, cultural and trade ties spread over hundreds of years.

As visualized, Gilgit-Tajikistan Road would connect Pakistan with Tajikistan by passing through Wakhan Corridor.

The project is compatible with the agenda of SAARC Summit which is called &#8220;Connectivity&#8221;.

Tajikistan has already completed the construction of road and bridge on its side of the border.

However, the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly has recently adopted a resolution demanding construction of the Pakistan-Tajikistan Road via Ghizer district of Gilgit-Baltistan instead of Chitral district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The resolution was tabled by Nawaz Khan Naji. 



Associated Press Of Pakistan ( Pakistan's Premier NEWS Agency ) - Gilgit-Tajikistan Road to bring progress in region

---------- Post added at 10:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:19 PM ----------




CLIPPER4LIFE said:


> In all honesty trade to the CAR's should go through Afghanistan. it might not be the safest but it is the fastest way to get there. Going from the Karakoram highway, to China, and then eventually into the CAR's is economically not feasible. Gas is going to be wasted and it's going to be closed off in the winter, not to mention the unexpected landslides. All we have to do is invest in Afghanistan's infrastructure projects and their will be an economic boom in the northern areas.




Pakistan should buy the Wakhan Corridor from Afghanistan like Pakistan bought Gwadar from Oman in the 1950's or we should just wait until U.S./NATO leave the region.

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## Omar1984

*Saarc summit: Gilani to take up Pakistan-Tajik road link project with Karzai*






Prime Minister says project closely connected with transit trade. 

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Sunday said that he would take up the Pakistan-Tajikistan road project with Afghan President Hamid Karzai during the forthcoming summit meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) to be held in the Maldives next month.

The prime minister was talking to Gilgit-Baltistan Governor Pir Karam Ali Shah, who called on him at the Prime Minister House in the federal capital. He said that the completion of the project would provide the shortest possible route to the people of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan, besides reinvigorating their historical, cultural and trade ties spread over hundreds of years.

The road project as visualised will connect Pakistan with Tajikistan by passing through eight-kilometre-long Wakhan corridor of Afghanistan.

The prime minister said the project was compatible with the agenda of Saarc summit which is called &#8216;Connectivity&#8217;.

The prime minister said it was his vision to develop good relations with the countries of the region. &#8220;I visited a number of countries like Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, India, Iran, China and the Central Asian Republics to further my vision,&#8221; he said.

Gilani said that connectivity was intertwined with transit trade and Pakistan was keen to enhance trade with Afghanistan and beyond.

Recalling the signing of Transit Trade Agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan, he said that trade among the countries of the region had to be enhanced for which establishment of road and rail networks was essential. Premier Gilani said that he would highlight the cause of connectivity at the Saarc summit because it would not only build bridges among people of the member countries but also create an enabling environment for their socio-economic development.

The Gilgit Baltistan governor told the prime minister that the construction of road on Pakistan&#8217;s side would require Rs2 billion, while Tajikistan had already completed the construction of road and bridge on its side of border. He said that he recently travelled to Tajikistan via old route to meet his relatives and friends there.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 10th, 2011.


Saarc summit: Gilani to take up Pakistan-Tajik road link project with Karzai &#8211; The Express Tribune

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## CLIPPER4LIFE

I think we should just capture the whole afghanistan and move the capital to Kabul or Peshawer, because we have more afghanis in Pakistan and this will automatically make us even more strategic and an instant super power!


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## Jango

CLIPPER4LIFE said:


> I think we should just capture the whole afghanistan and move the capital to Kabul or Peshawer, because we have more afghanis in Pakistan and this will automatically make us even more strategic and an instant super power!



Is heroine that cheap???


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## yusufzoi

CLIPPER4LIFE said:


> I think we should just capture the whole afghanistan and move the capital to Kabul or Peshawer, because we have more afghanis in Pakistan and this will automatically make us even more strategic and an instant super power!


 
Talk is very cheap my friend, taking over Afghanistan is a pipe dream, conquerers always came from the west not from east.

To attack Afghanistan you Will have to battle it out with the pushtoons and if a big if you manage to do that then glorious afghans wait on the otherside.

we are the guardians of kp and balochistan, we don't let anything from the west come east and from the east come west.

so quit the pipe dream boy or apni okaat dekh geedar sher ko conquer karni keep koshih Kar raha hay.

Liberate Kashmir first then we Will talk about strategic depth.


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## CLIPPER4LIFE

I was utterly joking, i was just raising the argument that there is more ethnic pashtuns in Pakistan than their is in Afghanistan. Also their is also a sizable population of tajiks, hazaras, and uzbeks that emigrated to Pakistan, due to each ethnic group not liking the other, so therefore i'm stating that Pakistan is more than just a second home. Many Afghans don't even believe in the current borders of Pakistan and Afghanistan, because of the Durand line issue with the British, if both the nations were one it would quell this argument and unify and diversify the economy of landlocked region.


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## 53fd

Some development work in Multan:

















*Construction Pictures of City Center Multan (October-2011)*






*Construction Pictures of Bomanji Square, Multan Cantt (October-2011):*











---------- Post added at 10:10 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:08 AM ----------

Kalma Chowk flyover in Multan:






---------- Post added at 10:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:10 AM ----------

Work on the Qadafi Chowk flyover:

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## 53fd

*Rawalpindi Jail Road underpass:*

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## 53fd

*Karachi to Quetta road:*

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## 53fd

*View of M2 at Sial Interchange:*

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## 53fd

*CDWP to take up 39 projects worth Rs 124.655 billion*



> The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) of the Planning Commission (PC) is likely to take up recommend 39 projects costing Rs 124.655 billion with Rs 73.254 billion as foreign exchange component (FEC) in its next meeting scheduled for Oct 14.
> 
> PC Deputy Chairman Dr Nadeemul Haq will chair it. The meeting will take up national importance projects in different fields including agriculture and food, education, energy, governance, industry commerce, physical planning and housing, mass media and culture and sports, science and technology, higher education, transport and communication and water resources.
> 
> The CDWP will consider one projects on agriculture and food namely, &#8216;Gwadar, Lasbela Livelihood Support Project IFAD Funding worth Rs 2.998 billion with Rs 2.550 billion as FEC, one scheme for education sector, namely &#8216;Punjab School Libraries Project worth Rs 1.694 billion with Rs 392.534 million as FEC.
> 
> The meeting will consider five energy related projects with total cost of Rs 15.381 billion with Rs 11.899 billion as foreign exchange component (FEC). These projects are: &#8216;Long Term Operation of Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (LTOK) Rs 868.197 million with Rs 447.159 million as FEC&#8217;, &#8216;PC-II for Joint Pre-project feasibility and design Study of a 1000 Megawatts (MW) Nuclear Power Plant for Karachi Rs 1.139 billion with Rs 1.036 billion as FEC&#8217;, &#8217;26 MW Hydropower Project at Shagarthang, Skardu, revised and ADB funding Rs 4.843 billion with Rs 3.860 billion as FEC&#8217;. More energy related projects are: &#8216;Replacement of Conventional Street Lights with Light Emitting DIODE (LED) Lights at Islamabad, ADB funding and CDA self financing Rs 6.524.450 billion with Rs 5.620.716 billion as FEC&#8217;, &#8216;Grid Stations further consists of three project with total cost of Rs 2.005 billion with Rs 934.590 million.
> 
> The CDWP will also consider a single project on governance, namely, &#8216;Strengthening of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) System in Northern Areas, Gilgit Rs125.358 million with Rs 42 million as FEC. The Industry and Commerce sector has two projects with total cost of Rs1.250 billion with Rs 805 million as FEC. These projects are &#8216;Establishment of Provincial Training Centre for Mine Workers and Emergency Response Training Quetta, with financial assistance of government of Australia with total cost of Rs 1.150 billion with Rs 805 million as FEC&#8217;, &#8216;Up-gradation of NFC Institute of Engineering and Technology (NFC IET) Facility Rs 100 million.
> 
> The meeting will consider six projects related to Physical Planning and Housing (PP&H) with total cost of Rs 17.374 billion with Rs 12.389 billion as FEC. These projects are &#8216;Construction of Petroleum House, G-5 Islamabad with Rs 911.121 million&#8217;, &#8216;Post Flood Reconstruction of projects in P.H.E Sector FATA Rs 101.460 million&#8217;, &#8216;Up-gradation and development of Shrine Hazrat Bibi Pak Daman, Lahore Rs 270 million&#8217;, &#8216;Rehabilitation and improvement of drainage scheme, Larkana City Rs 944.945 million&#8217;, &#8216;Municipal Services Delivery Programme, Sindh (USAID Grant) Rs 6.668 billion with Rs 5.016 billion as FEC&#8217;, and &#8216;Municipal Services Delivery Programme (MSDP) Rs 8.479billion.
> 
> The high level meeting will also consider a single project of Mass Media, Culture and Sports, namely, &#8216;Replacement of 10 KW MW with 100 KW MW Transmitter under US Aid Programme and shifting of existing Broadcasting House to new site (US Aid) Rs 389.291 million with Rs 291.300 million as FEC. The Science and Technology sector has also a single project, namely &#8216;Establishment of Pakistan institute of Cost and Contract (PICC) Rs 117.749 million.
> 
> The Higher Education has six important projects with total cost of Rs 3.814 billion with Rs 1.258 billion as FEC. These projects are; &#8216;Strengthening of Institute of Business Administration (IBM) Karachi, revised Rs 399.780 million with Rs 132.410 million&#8217;, &#8216;Development of Malakand University, Chakdara, Dir Lower revised Rs 706.428 million with Rs 286.620 million as FEC&#8217;, &#8216;Strengthening and Upgrading of Peshawar Campus of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar (revised) Rs 650.218 million with Rs 166.793 million&#8217;. Other important projects of the higher education sector are &#8216;Immediate Needs of the University of Science and Technology Bannu (Revised) Rs 704.767 million with Rs 71.223 million as FEC&#8217;, &#8216;Strengthening and Development of department of Civil Engineering, Software Engineering and Institute of Science and Technology including allied facilities and services, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro (revised) Rs 676.545 million with Rs 244.685 million as FEC&#8217;, and &#8216;Strengthening and Development of Department of Bio-Medical
> 
> Engineering Institute Environment Engineering and Management, Communal Facilities for Students and Staff including allied services, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro (revised) Rs 677.061 million with Rs 356.906 million as FEC&#8217;.
> 
> Transport and Communication sector consists of 11 national importance projects with total cost of Rs 78.014 billion with Rs 43.626 billion as FEC. These projects are &#8216;construction of Bridge across River Indus Linking Jheekruk with Mulla Katiar Rs 5.883 billion&#8217;, &#8216;Hasanabdal-Havelian-Mansehra Expressway E-35 (110 km) ADB Rs 46.810 billion with Rs 41.618 billion as FEC&#8217;, &#8216;Construction of Interchange on National Highway N-5 at Aziz Chowk, Gujranwala Rs 2.348 billion&#8217;, &#8216;Improvement and widening of N-45 (141 km) section-1, Chakdara, Timargara, section-2, Akhagram-Dir section-3, Kalkatak-Chitral Rs 9.202 billion&#8217;, &#8216;Rehabilitation of Rolling Stock and Track in Connection with Bali out package Rs 4.656 billion with Rs 1.808 billion&#8217;.
> 
> More important projects of the transport and communication sector are &#8216;Reconstruction and rehabilitation of road infrastructure damaged due to flood and heavy rain 2010 Rs 1.790 billion&#8217;, &#8216;Construction of Fish Landing Jetty and Allied Harbour Works at Surbundar (revised) Rs 1.113 billion&#8217;, &#8216;Construction of Fish Landing Jetty and Allied Harbour Works at Pishukan (revised) Rs 1.043 billion&#8217;, Rehabilitation of Metalled Road from Jhal Magsi Nausherhra to Nuttai (N-65) length 115 km Rs 500million&#8217;. The construction and widening of Black topped roads in Balochistan at five different places with total cost of Rs 2.532 billion and Flood Schemes in 3 different parts of FATA with total cost of Rs 2.133 billion.
> 
> The Water Resources sector consists of total four projects with total cost of Rs 3.494 billion. These projects are &#8216;Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of the Damaged Caused by 2010 Flood to Water Sector Infrastructures (flood, irrigation and drainage) Rs 781.495 million&#8217;, &#8216;Flood restoration works in Rahim Yar Khan Canal Circle Rs 1.219 billion&#8217; and &#8216;rehabilitation and restoration of water management infrastructure, Office buildings and land development and Purchase and repair of Machinery in Flood Affected areas of Balochistan Rs 1.217 billion.
> 
> According to the rules, the CDWP can approve a project valuing up to Rs 1 billion and the projects costlier than it will be sent to Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for recommendations.


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## 53fd

The 241-kilometre long four-lane motorway project will be completed at a cost of over Rs 47 billion with the financial hlep of the Government of Pakistan, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Islamic Development Bank (IDB). This motorway has been divided into four sections including Faisalabad-Gojra (58 km) for which the Prime Minister had already performed ground breaking and work was in progress. Other sections include Gojra-Shorkot section (62 km), Shorkot-Deenpur-Khanewal section (64 km), and Khanewal-Multan section (57 km). Two big bridges will be built on the motorway at the points including the Ravi River and Sidhnai channel besides 16 interchanges, as many fly-overs, and 20 under-passes.


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## 53fd

*Power generation capacity to be doubled by 2020:*



> ISLAMABAD: The energy sector planners have prepared a comprehensive plan under the 'Vision 2020', to double the generation capacity from current 20,000 MW to 40,000 MW within ten years.
> 
> According to the Vision Statement of the Ministry of Water and Power, the development of power sector would be accelerated for sustainable economic growth and socio-economic prosperity of the country.
> 
> "The vision of the Government of Pakistan is to double the generation capacity of the country- from the current 20,000 MW to 40,000 MW within the next ten years", the statement said.
> 
> "We will initiate programmes and projects to add a minimum 20,000 MW by the year 2020", a senior official of the Ministry of Water and Power told APP.
> 
> He said that the " 20,000 MW addition by 2020 programme " would comprise 6000 MW from hydro sources, 6000 MW from coal, 5000 MW from gas, 1000 MW from Naphtha and other indigenous fuels and the remaining 2000 MW from alternative energy resources especially solar and wind.
> 
> He added that 6000 MW power from hydro-resources would in turn involve developing some run-of-river projects, which could be brought on line relatively quickly.
> 
> The official said that the projects would include Tarbal IV Extension (960 MW), Suki Kinari (840 MW), Neelum Jhlum (960 MW) and Dasu (2200 MW in two stages.
> 
> "There will be a special focus on smaller hydro power projects based on the extensive canal system in the agriculture heart land of the country and we will continue to work on the realization of the Diamer Basha Dam project in parallel which when complete will add another 4500 MW of hydro capacity ", he remarked.
> 
> He added that Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani has recently inaugurated the project.
> 
> He said that the proposed 6000 MW of coal-fired projects would primarily be based on indigenous coal.
> 
> This, he said, would also be supplemented by some projects on imported coal.
> 
> The official said that the country needed to develop its coal resources as urgently as possible, to not only save precious foreign exchange, but also to provide cheap power. There were specific projects being developed especially in Sindh province such as Badin block and Thar.
> 
> The proposed 6000 MW of gas-fired generation will be based on domestic gas resources as well as imported gas i.e. LNG imports as well as through the proposed Iran-Pakistan pipeline, he added.
> 
> He said that the gas from the proposed Mashal LNG project would be used entirely for power sector, and keeping in view its current volume it would help generate upto 3000 MW power.
> 
> Additionally, he said, fields such as Kunar Pasakhi, Sinjhoro and various other discoveries would also be dedicated to power production.
> 
> "These fields are estimated to yield at least 500 MMCFD gas from which up to additional 3000 MW power can be generated", he added.
> 
> The official said that to reduce dependence on imported RFO, power generation based indigenously on Naphtha would be undertaken.
> 
> "Power generation from Naphtha not only has a lower carbon foot-print but has a considerably low operating cost in comparison to RFO based plants. This will include new IPPs based on Naphtha in the public sector and conversion of some existing ones to Naphtha", he said.
> 
> He said that use of Naphtha would also be a source of import substitution.
> 
> For solar power generation, he said "we will focus on particular applications which have proven elsewhere to yield efficient benefits".
> 
> He added that those included replacement of gas and electric water heaters with solar ones, and irrigation tube-wells with pumps based on solar energy.
> 
> "Wind energy projects will be aggressively promoted to produce a minimum of 1000 MW power in next five years", he added.
> 
> "We are committed to this capacity development ensuring low carbon emission. We will ensure to maximize efficiency gains - in generation plants and in transmission/distribution networks - as the first option to meet the supply demand gap", he said.



http://www.brecorder.com/pakistan/i...eneration-capacity-to-be-doubled-by-2020.html


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## GHOST RIDER

any news on Textile city?


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## Skywalker

I am sick and tired of this vision 2010 or vision 2020 or bla bla bla bla, we cant even see in near future and we are talking about visions whose existence is only available in the govt.'s papers, that's it.

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## MM_Haider

UAE-linked Pakistan mega project set for relaunch - Construction - ArabianBusiness.com


A major development project in Pakistan involving a UAE-based investment company is back on track after being scrapped two years ago, it was reported on Sunday.

The Abu Dhabi Group was behind plans for the $1.2bn Mubarak Centre in Lahore when it was cancelled by the government of Punjab in 2009.

But according to media reports in Pakistan, the project, which initially included a plan to build the tallest tower in the country, is back on track "with some modifications".

The original Mubarak Centre plan included residential and office towers, conference halls and a shopping mall.



Reports on Sunday said an audit and accounts committee, consisting of representatives of both the Punjab government and Abu Dhabi Group, has now been set up to deliver a feasibility report in January 2012.



According to the new plan, the tallest tower will not be built and the Mubarak Centre will include a shopping mall, apartments, a five star hotel and parking.

The project was being carried out as a 70/30 joint venture between the Abu Dhabi Group and the Punjab government.

The two investors had formed a holding company for the Mubarak Centre, called Taavun (Pvt) Ltd, which was to be responsible for managing the project.

Abu Dhabi Group operates a portfolio of companies that operate in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Uganda, Congo, and the Middle East.


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## Edevelop

I hate it when we build contemporary buildings. I mean its just Western culture. If the whole world is doing this then at the same time they are loosing what they own. Doesn't it look stupid having the centaurus towers built in the middle of Islamabad. Cities like Islamabad have their own charm and trees have to be cut down cuz of these developtments.

In Lahore, we need developtments based on our own tradition and not the development influenced from UAE. This city has has a lot of rich culture. Don't we all like Italy? well just like what they restored, we should be doing the same thing on our side. We should compare what Lahore looked like 30 years ago and what it is being done now.

There is just one thing i must say good about some countries---- like---: China, Japan, Korea. They all are building better public transportation systems i.e subways, trains, buses, trams. We on the other hand are building motorways. its not a bad thing but my question is for whom? don't people care how the poor would travel?


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## Karachiite

Every country is building skyscrapers. Even Italy is, go to Milan there's a huge building boom there. It's not bad if you have a small area designated for high rises while the rest of the city retains its traditional buildings.


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## 53fd

*Hyderabad:*

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## Secret Service

bilalhaider said:


> Some development work in Multan:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Construction Pictures of City Center Multan (October-2011)*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Construction Pictures of Bomanji Square, Multan Cantt (October-2011):*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ---------- Post added at 10:10 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:08 AM ----------
> 
> Kalma Chowk flyover in Multan:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ---------- Post added at 10:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:10 AM ----------
> 
> Work on the Qadafi Chowk flyover:



total 46 billion rupees were announced for construction projects in Multan mostly flyovers but only 7 billion is invested so far. God knows where rest of the money goes


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## Edevelop

Karachiite said:


> Every country is building skyscrapers. Even Italy is, go to Milan there's a huge building boom there. It's not bad if you have a small area designated for high rises while the rest of the city retains its traditional buildings.



You are right. It fits well to build high rise in small designated area. But the question is why are we building it in contemporary form?


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## Karachiite

*
Construction work on six- lane Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway (M-9)
*
The National Assembly was informed Thursday that construction work on six lane Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway (M-9) will be started in March next through public-private partnership.

During the question hour, Parliamentary Secretary for Communication Chaudhary Saeed Iqbal said that contract of the project has been awarded to a company with the task to complete it within fifteen months.

Parliamentary Secretary said that Hassanabdal-Mansehra Expressway will be completed in two phases and the Asian Development Bank has agreed to finance this important project. The process of land acquisition has been started and Federal Government has released funds to the provincial government for this purpose. Construction of phase-I Hassanabdal-Havelian is expected to commence in October next subject to release of funds.

He said that the Motorway portion at Kallar Kahar will be realigned at a cost of six to seven billion rupees to avert serious traffic accidents there.

Responding to a supplementary question, he said the National Highway Authority has constructed 1130 kilometer roads in different provinces during the last two years.

Parliamentary Secretary Nawab Liaquat Ali Khan informed the House that negotiations with two Chinese companies are underway for manufacturing mobile phones in the country. He said there is no bar on the local companies to manufacture the mobile sets.

The House was also informed that seven thousand nine hundred and seventy development schemes proposed by the parliamentarians have been completed during the last few years. The parliamentarians had proposed thirteen thousand eight hundred and five (13805) development schemes and work on the remaining projects is underway.

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## Omar1984

*Sindh intends to setup 3 SEZs with foreign assistance *

BEIJING, Nov 18 (APP): The provincial government of Sindh has ambitious plan to establish three Special Economic Zones (SEZs), besides setting up Education City- Karachi, Marble City and exploring natural resources and invited Chinese investors for collaboration to avail these opportunities.Unveiling the three major SEZs namely Fisheries Special Economic Zone,Live Stock Special Economic Zone and Special Economic Zone at Dhabeji, Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister on Investment, Zubair Motiwala said that Sindh has 352 kilometre long coastline, while 20,000 has already been identified in Thatta. 

He said it is ideal for shrimp, crab and fish farming, and offers immense opportunities for Chinese for investment Fisheries Special Economic Zone.

Highlighting, Sindh The Land of Endless Opportunities and its competitive advantages at a Forum here, he said Sindh Board of Investment (SBI)intends establishing Extension and Common Processing services with foreign assistance, marketing 100 fully developed fish farms, 25 hectars each, managed jointly with experts for 2 years.

He said that the cost of the farm to be paid back in 5 years, while instalments to become revolving fund for further development.

He further said that the province also offers investment opportunities in Livestock Special Economic Zone spread over an area of 2,500 acres identified near Bhambhore.

At the Livestock SEZ, he said 1,300 acres of land has been allocated for farming purpose and 1,200 reserved for grazing. 

The Livestock Department with international assistance offers the Extension and Common Processing services, marketing 300 fully developed Meat and Dairy farms of 5 acres each that would be managed jointly with experts for 2 years. The cost of the farm to be paid back in 3 years and recovered instalments to become revolving fund for further development. 

He said that government of Sindh has earmarked 2,000 acres of land for the SEZ Dhabeji, near Port Qasim industrial area that is located 50 kms from Karachi international airport.

It will have an Expatriate Enclave with modern infrastructure and tax incentives package which will include exemption of custom duties and Taxes strictly on import of capital equipment.

The federal government/Utility agencies, he said will provide gas,electricity and other services at the zero point, adding that the Captive power generation will also be allowed to developers.

The Education City (EC), is another ambitious project of Sindh Board of Investment to be established with the objective for Fostering a better tomorrow for future generation.

Zubair Motiwala pointed out that approximately 9,000 acres of land has been notified for the EC.

The core elements of EC, he said are establishing educational and health institutions that will address countrys challenge of higher education.

The Educational institutions will create the opportunity for private R&D businesses as a component of EC.

The EC will have world class facilities, he said adding that as many as 23 higher learning educations have already given their consent.

Regarding establishing Marble City, the Advisor said that Sindh has billions of tons of marble and granite reserves.

The SBI, he said intends to develop Marble City in Karachi on 300 acres for which land has been allocated by Board of Revenue.

The potential projects for investment included Quarrying (Mining),warehousing, machinery manufacturing and machinery pool.

Besides these projects, Zubair Motiwala also informed in details to Chinese investors present in large number at the Forum the investment opportunities available for Keenjhar Lake, an ideal location for eco-friendly tourism and Resort development to bring a major economic stimulus.

He also highlighted the opportunities for investment in Agriculture Sector, Alternate Energy projects, and Thar Coal.

He said that Thar Coal has the potential for 200,000 MW for 300 years,adding that 2 percent utilization of reserve can produce 30,000 MW.

The Speaker Sindh Assembly Nishar Ahmad Khuhro was the chief guest at the Sindh Trade Investment Forum which was also addressed by Secretary Sindh Board of Investment M. Younus Dagha, Secretary Agriculture Sindh Agha Jan Akhtar, Special Secretary Finance Sohail Rajput, Chinese investors and businessmen.

Ambassador Masood Khan in his welcome remarks said that Paksitanis are a hardworking nation. Like the Chinese people, they are ingenious and innovative.

He said that we in Pakistan are keen to learn from our Chinese brothers and sisters and work for win-win partnerships based on the principle of mutual respect and mutual benefit. 


Associated Press Of Pakistan ( Pakistan's Premier NEWS Agency ) - Sindh intends to setup 3 SEZs with foreign assistance




Sindh can become like Dubai and people of Sindh deserve the best, especially after the devastating floods in two consecutive years.

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## Omar1984

*Connecting the region: PM orders release of Rs2b for Lowari Tunnel *



ISLAMABAD: In a bid to get work started on much-needed infrastructure and road projects, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has directed the ministry of finance and planning to release Rs2 billion to the National Highway Authority (NHA).

The money is to be used to resume work on the Lowari Tunnel. The tunnel is extremely important as a corridor to the Asian republics through the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan route, and connects Chitral to the rest of the country, said the prime minister.

He directed the ministry for finance and the planning division to release funds  for this purpose; Rs1 billion over and above the Public Sector Development Programme [PSDP], Gilanis spokesperson said.

Projects in the northern areas

Presiding over a meeting of strategic roads projects in Islamabad on Monday, he also gave directions to the NHA to start work on the Attabad Lake bypass without further delay, so that trade could be resumed with China in the area.

The spokesman also said that in anticipation of the submergence of some parts of the Karakoram Highway during the construction of the Bhasha Dam, the prime minister directed the realignment of the bypass connecting Sazim and Raikot. He also asked the Water and Power Development Authority to release funds to NHA for commencement of work along 35 kilometres of the Shatial bypass in order to facilitate the movement of people during the dams construction.

The meeting was also told that an expressway between Hassanabdal and Mansehra was a long-time demand of millions of people in the region. The premier then directed the NHA to make necessary arrangements as he is to personally attend the ground-breaking ceremony of the project in January. In addition, he told the NHA to complete five bridges between Jaglot and Skardu, where transport conditions are poor.

Work on the road between the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad region and Chilas is also to be resumed, the prime minister stated, adding that it would reduce the distance to Gilgit, provide an alternative route to Islamabad and facilitate tourism.

Projects in Balochistan

As far as work in Balochistan was concerned, the premier directed that the road connecting Khadkucha, Saryab and Jangalpir Alizai on the Kalat-Quetta-Chaman Road be expedited and completed in the shortest possible time.

NHA resources are also to be utilised for completion of the Gawadar-Turbat-Khushab Road on a priority basis as well as the Khuzdar-Ratodero Road which connects Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab via the Indus Highway.

PakAghan transport

In connection with the Jalalabad-Torkham Additional Carriageway, Prime Minister Gilani said the project was Pakistans commitment to our brotherly country of Afghanistan and it must be honoured at all costs. Work on the project was earlier suspended due to financial constraints.

The Torkham-Peshawar Road is also to be upgraded by the NHA through its own budget.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22nd, 2011




Connecting the region: PM orders release of Rs2b for Lowari Tunnel  The Express Tribune



Good move. Pakistan needs to be connected to Central Asian Republics


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## Omar1984

*Work to start soon on Burhan-Mansehra Expressway*

Federal Minister for Communications Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan has directed to expedite the land acquisition process for Burhan-Mansehra Expressway (E-35) so that construction work on the project is stared soon. The Minister also directed to finalize the liability issues with contractors of Lowari Tunnel so that construction activity is re-activated.

He said this while taking a briefing on the progress of E-35. Shahzada Mohiyuddin member national assembly (MNA), M Saleem Provincial Minister for population and Chairman National Highway Authority (NHA) Syed Muhammad Ali Gardezi were also present at the occasion.

GM (E-35) Azfar Ahsan Khan while briefing the Federal Minister said that 110 Km expressway will be built with a cost of Rs 47 billion within a period of 3 years. He told that Rs 1405 million have been given to NHA for which the land acquisition is in process, while Rs 615 million are still needed. The total cost of land acquisition for the project is Rs 2 billion. He told that the land acquisition process for 20 villages in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been completed and Rs 164 million has been paid to the affectees, while another 11 villages land acquisition process will be completed by January 2012.

He told that Rs 175 million for 6 villages falling in Punjab have been received and will soon be disbursed amongst the affectees. While discussing the alignment of the Expressway, the Minister directed that the east side alignment of the expressway while passing through Abbottabad is more feasible in terms of low cost as well as lesser gradient. 


Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan


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## Omar1984




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## Omar1984

*Work on nine mega projects to begin this month: KMC*

KARACHI, Jan 6: Work on Karachi Metropolitan Corporation&#8217;s nine major projects, including the Shahrah-i-Pakistan signal-free corridor-V with four flyovers to be built between Tin Hatti and Sohrab Goth, will begin this month and will be completed within two years at an estimated cost of Rs3.326 billion, it emerged on Friday.

The vital projects to be carried out under the ADP special package for Karachi include construction of a Jinnah terminal flyover, a flyover on Nawab Siddiq Ali Khan Road near A.O. Clinic, Nazimabad, widening of the main Korangi road and causeway (from the KPT flyover to Korangi Crossing), laying of a new storm-water drain along Shahrah-i-Quaideen and up to Junejo Town in the jurisdiction of defunct Jamshed Town.

Unfolding the details of the mega projects, KMC Director-General (Technical Services) Altaf G. Memon told Dawn that the groundbreaking ceremonies of the projects would be held shortly as Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad and Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah had already discussed and agreed on all these projects.

He said the governor would hold regular meetings to review progress on the projects on a fortnightly basis to ensure quality work and their timely completion.

The DG said that the actual time required for their completion was three years but all-out efforts would be made to complete them within two years.

Highlighting salient features of the signal-free corridor-V, he said it would ease traffic congestion on Shahrah-i-Pakistan and cut travel time and expenses of motorists taking this route to reach Federal B Area, North Nazimabad, North Karachi, New
Karachi, KDA Scheme-33 and their adjoining localities and to proceed towards the Superhighway.

He said the signal-free corridor would have four two-lane, two-way flyovers &#8212; one each at Tin Hatti, S.M. Taufiq Road&#8217;s Daakhana, Aisha Manzil and Water Pump. Except for the flyover to be built at Tin Hatti at an estimated cost of Rs300m, each
of the remaining three flyovers would cost Rs500m, he added.

The other four corridors, which were made signal-free by the defunct city government, were Preedy Street, Karsaz, Sharea Faisal (partially) and Rashid Minhas Road.

About the flyover planned near A.O. Clinic, Mr Memon said that this would give easy access to vehicles, especially ambulances, to reach the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. It would also cut travel time of motorists who have to wait for long at the
traffic signals near A.O. clinic while proceeding to and from Nazimabad, Paposhnagar, Orangi Town, North Nazimabad, North Karachi and Surjani Town.

About the significance of laying a storm-water drain along Shahrah-i-Quaideen till Junejo Town, he said the project was aimed at preventing accidents caused by the existing open drain, discouraging drug addicts from taking shelter along the open drain and beautifying the area.

The DG said that the Korangi road widening project, whose other components include improvement of the causeway and Korangi Crossing, would be completed at a cost of over Rs149 million. This would ease traffic congestion on the busy road, he added.

Ongoing schemes 
The DG said that work on 23 schemes was in full swing and they would be completed in time.

The projects included construction of access roads to Bilawal House, Clifton; improvement of Hub River Road (from Paracha Chowk to Northern Bypass, construction / improvement of two bridges across Gujjar Nullah and Orangi at Shahrah-i-Ibne Sina, improvement and rehabilitation of Manghopir Road from Mazar to Surjani Chowrangi hospital, improvement and rehabilitation of road including storm-water drain (from Shahrah-i-Noorjehan to the Ziauddin hospital roundabout, rehabilitation of internal roads of Clifton&#8217;s blocks 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, channelling natural nullahs at Orangi, Baldia, SITE, North Nazimabad, Korangi and Gulshan-i-Iqbal, construction of roads falling under the defunct CDGK, construction of an overhead bridge at Thado Nullah between Malir and Gadap, improvement of roads in Gulshan-i-Iqbal&#8217;s union councils No 1, 2, 4 and 6, reconstruction of Adam Khan Road, construction of roads in Bin Qasim and Landhi towns, construction of a bridge over railway line in Gulshan-i-Iqbal&#8217;s block 10, improvement of rural areas (defunct district councils) of the defunct CDGK.

In reply to a query, he said the pace of progress on the schemes had slowed down temporarily due to uncertainty over the local government system. But he was optimistic about their timely completion.

&#8220;In fact work on most of the 23 schemes began in August 2011 and they would be completed as per their scheduled completion date, which is June 30, 2012,&#8221; he added.


Work on nine mega projects to begin this month: KMC | Metropolitan | DAWN.COM


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## SHAMK9

bomanji square building looks gorgeous!!!


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## Anish1

Is it true that pakistan has a $2billion metro project in Lahore?

Since Pakistan Railways has gone bankcrupt with all freight services and most passenger services cancelled how can GOP do this?


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## ghazi52

Anish9500 said:


> Is it true that pakistan has a $2billion metro project in Lahore?
> 
> Since Pakistan Railways has gone bankcrupt with all freight services and most passenger services cancelled how can GOP do this?



Not GOP, Punjab is taking the project.


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## Anish1

ghazi52 said:


> Not GOP, Punjab is taking the project.



With $2 billion im sure Punjab Govt. can get railways working. What happened to all the locomotives pakistan was buying from India and China?

Seems like a waste of money to have a single metro system with the entire national network dysfunctional.


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## Karachiite

*Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway M-9: NHA awarding Rs24.93bn contract to Malaysian firm*

ISLAMABAD: The National Highway Authority (NHA) is awarding Rs 24.93 billion contract for construction of Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway (M-9) to Malaysian company.

This was decided in a meeting of the NHA Executive Board, held with Syed Muhammad Ali Gardezi in the chair on Friday.

The NHA Executive Board accorded approval to award the contract to Malaysian company M/s BINAPURI Holding, on Built Operate Transfer (BOT) basis with concessionaire period of 28 years to upgrade the existing 4-Lane Karachi-Hyderabad Super Highway into 6-Lane Motorway.

The NHA had advertised for open competition amongst the interested parties for construction of the motorway for which several companies including NLC, BINAPURI Holding Malaysia, EOBI, SAMBO, CRBC China and one Turkish Construction Company submitted their proposals. After detailed financial & technical evaluation, proposal of M/s BINAPURI Holding was accepted.Gardezi said that the proposed 136-kms long motorway will be completed in three years, as work on the project is likely to start in coming month. He said that 7 interchanges, 2 service areas & 16 toll plazas will also be constructed.

Foreign investment in the NHA projects is being encouraged to reduce financial load on national exchequer and construction of M-9 on BOT basis is a practical step towards this end, he maintained, adding that there are vast opportunities of foreign investment in Highway Projects and we are trying to involve foreign construction companies in this construction process.

Rana Asad Amin Special Secretary Finance Division, Muneer Ahmed Anjum Chief T&C Planning Commission, Abdul Basit Khan Senior Joint Secretary Ministry of Communications, Bashir Ahmed Chief NTRC and Vice President Nespak Qazi Iftikhar Ahmed were present on the occasion.


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## Evil Flare

Karachiite said:


> *Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway M-9: NHA awarding Rs24.93bn contract to Malaysian firm*
> 
> ISLAMABAD: The National Highway Authority (NHA) is awarding Rs 24.93 billion contract for construction of Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway (M-9) to Malaysian company.
> 
> This was decided in a meeting of the NHA Executive Board, held with Syed Muhammad Ali Gardezi in the chair on Friday.
> 
> The NHA Executive Board accorded approval to award the contract to Malaysian company M/s BINAPURI Holding, on Built Operate Transfer (BOT) basis with concessionaire period of 28 years to upgrade the existing 4-Lane Karachi-Hyderabad Super Highway into 6-Lane Motorway.
> 
> The NHA had advertised for open competition amongst the interested parties for construction of the motorway for which several companies including NLC, BINAPURI Holding Malaysia, EOBI, SAMBO, CRBC China and one Turkish Construction Company submitted their proposals. After detailed financial & technical evaluation, proposal of M/s BINAPURI Holding was accepted.Gardezi said that the proposed 136-kms long motorway will be completed in three years, as work on the project is likely to start in coming month. He said that 7 interchanges, 2 service areas & 16 toll plazas will also be constructed.
> 
> Foreign investment in the NHA projects is being encouraged to reduce financial load on national exchequer and construction of M-9 on BOT basis is a practical step towards this end, he maintained, adding that there are vast opportunities of foreign investment in Highway Projects and we are trying to involve foreign construction companies in this construction process.
> 
> Rana Asad Amin Special Secretary Finance Division, Muneer Ahmed Anjum Chief T&C Planning Commission, Abdul Basit Khan Senior Joint Secretary Ministry of Communications, Bashir Ahmed Chief NTRC and Vice President Nespak Qazi Iftikhar Ahmed were present on the occasion.



Karachi Hyderabad highway roads are worst than in karachi city ... lets hope it starts soon


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## Omar1984

*Inauguration of Pak-Afghan JEC 8th Session: JEC for import of 1,000 MW from CARs*

* Also decides to create road link between Pakistan and Tajikistan via Afghanistan 

* Afghan side requests release of 700 containers blocked in Pakistan

By Sajid Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: Finance ministers from Pakistan and Afghanistan decided to lay down a &#8216;time bound road map&#8217; of the steps for enhancing cooperation between the two neighbouring countries, especially import of 1,000 megawatts power and gas from Central Asian Republics (CARs) and road link between Pakistan and Tajikistan via Afghanistan.

Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and Afghan Finance Minister Dr Hazrat Omer Zakhilwal discussed this during the inauguration of the Pakistan and Afghanistan Joint Economic Commission 8th Session, which started here on Monday.

Pakistan has agreed to confirm the status of 700 Afghan commercial cargo containers for their release on priority basis, as Afghan side has raised the issue of blockade of their 700 containers and informed Pakistani authorities that these containers belong to Afghanistan&#8217;s private sector and not to the NATO or ISAF, official sources informed. 

The Federal Board of Revenue chairman has been directed to confirm the status of the 700 containers so a decision on their release could be taken immediately, added the sources. 

The agenda of the JEC included bilateral trade with special focus on review of trade, measures to enhance bilateral trade, problems and issues related to private sector and traders of both the countries. In the area of transit trade facilitation, the JEC would review the current status of implementation of Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA).

Transit trade facilitation: Current status of implementation of APTTA, signed in October 2010 will be reviewed, road link between Pakistan and Tajikistan via Afghanistan, $300 million Pakistan&#8217;s grant, development projects initiated under grant from Pakistan, current status of projects initiated under Afghanistan-Pakistan G-8 Initiative, establishment of Joint Cooperation Mechanism to initiate and implement development projects, new projects and proposals, technical assistance capacity building, scholarship scheme for Afghan students, training in commercial banking, custom training, police training, postal training, training in audit and accounts, deepening of economic cooperation, cooperation in communication sector, status of CASA 1000 Power Transmission Project, cooperation in industrial and engineering sectors, investment in natural resources in Afghanistan, petroleum and natural resources, cooperation in education sector, cooperation in information and media cooperation, agreement in the areas of culture and arts and cooperation agreement in the area of tourism.

After the inaugural session, while talking to reporters Zakhilwal said that APTTA is a big agreement and there would arise issues on its implementation and we are here to discuss these issues as well as other measures for enhancing trade volume and cooperation between private sectors of both the countries. He informed that 70 percent work on Torkam Jalalabad road is completed and we are now discussing resource mobilisation for completion of remaining 30 percent. He informed that the second phase of this project would link Jalalabad to Kabul and completion of which would help facilitate bilateral trade.

Shaikh informed the reporters that JEC would be focusing on four key areas for enhancing bilateral trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. In the trade areas, the minister said that JEC will discuss issues on implementation of APTTA, insurance guarantee for Afghan importers, border crossing for trade purposes and trade safeguards to make trade easy for the trading community. JEC would also be discussing projects completed in the past, and resource mobilisation for completion of Torkam Jalalabad road. He also informed that JEC would also discuss issues relating to regional integration for promoting cooperation in gas and power import, increasing transport and communication links.

Shaikh informed that both the ministers have directed the technical experts of both sides to be pro-active and finalise a technically feasible plan for the initiatives to help easy implementation of these measures by the political leadership of the countries. 

The minister further informed that both sides have agreed to facilitate private sectors of both sides to work together for exploiting the potential in mining, construction, hydro-power and other areas of mutual interest. He admitted that both countries have not done much to facilitate the private sector in the past. He informed that to promote the regional economic cooperation, Pakistan would host regional conference with the help of World Bank in May 2012 and some viable proposals would be finalised in this regard. JEC will conclude today (Tuesday) and some key decisions are expected to be announced.



Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan


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## SHAMK9

*Bus Rapid Transit System project: People to have safe, speedy transport facilities: shahbaz*

* CM says provision of comfortable, quality transport facilities to masses top priority of govt

People will be able to have safe and speedy transport facilities after completion of the Bus Rapid Transit System project, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Saturday.

He said this while presiding over a meeting to review the pace of progress of Bus Rapid Transit System project and the provision of transport facilities to the people.

Speaking on the occasion, the CM said that provision of comfortable and quality transport facilities to the masses was the top priority of the government, and solid steps had been taken for that purpose. He said that a 27-kilometre-long track from Shahdara to Gajjumata would be laid in the first phase of the project.

He said modern transport service had been started in the metropolis, and its scope would soon be extended to other big cities of the province.

On the occasion, Lahore Development Authority Director General Abdul Jabbar Shaheen gave a detailed briefing regarding the progress of the project.

Addressing the meeting, Shahbaz Sharif said that on the pattern of developed countries, transport system was being organised on modern lines in Lahore and other big cities of the province. 

He said work on the Bus Rapid Transit System project had been started with the cooperation of Turkey, which, upon its completion, would speak volumes of the Pak-Turk friendship. 

He said that like other development projects, the Bus Rapid Transit System project would be completed speedily in a transparent manner by working round the clock. 

He said that in the first phase, track would be laid from General Hospital to Kalma Chowk; in the second phase, from Gajjumata to General Hospital; and in the third phase, from Shahdara to Kalma Chowk.

He said it was an important project, and no delay in its completion would be tolerated.

On the occasion, he formed a committee, headed by Member of the Provincial Assembly Mehr Ishtiaq Ahmad, for early completion of the project.

He said that an effective system should be evolved to ensure smooth flow of traffic during the construction of the project and people should not face any difficulty in this regard. 

He directed the officials concerned to evolve a vigorous publicity plan to create awareness among the people about the importance of bus rapid transit so that maximum citizens could benefit from it. 

Earlier, the LDA director general, while informing the meeting about the progress of the project, said that work on laying of track from General Hospital to Kalma Chowk was in progress. Members of the National Assembly Mian Marghoob Ahmad and Bilal Yasin, Lahore Transport Company Chairman Khawaja Ahmad Hasaan, the Planning and Development chairman, the transport secretary, the Lahore district coordination officer and other officers concerned were present at the meeting.


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## Omar1984

*Rs9bn WB funds for KPT* 


Minister for Ports and Shipping Senator Babar Khan Ghauri said at ground breaking ceremony that the World Bank funding of Rs9 billion for reconstruction of six berths at the Karachi Port is a strong indicator that vibrant institutions, such as KPT, are not on the negative list of world financial institutions.

He said most of the institutions, run by the Ministry of Ports and Shipping, including Pakistan Shipping Corporation (PNSC), KPT and Port Qasim, are making huge profits and are actively contributing to economic growth.

Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony for the project of reconstruction of berths 15 to 17A, including ship repair berths, 1 and 2, where the prime minister was the chief guest, the minister said that these institutions have made huge profit of Rs18 billion in the last financial year.

He further said that if people work hard, all growth targets could be achieved.

Such achievements, the minister said, are a ray of hope for the nation, particularly when huge national institutions, like Pakistan International Airlines, Pakistan Steel and Railways, etc., are not only incurring huge losses but are also on the verge of collapse.

He disclosed that the Ministry of Ports and Shipping had constructed a civic centre at Gwadar port and hoped that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani would inaugurate it next month.


The secretary of ports and shipping, Agha Syed Raza Qazilbash, said that 922-meter long berths having 16-meter depth would provide berthing to post Panamax container vessels having 70,000dwt weight, 280 meters length and 13.8 meters draft.

Similarly, he said bulk carriers having 100,000dwt weight, 255 meters length and 15.3 meters draft would also be berthed.

KPT chairman Mohammad Aslam Hayat said that the KPT attracted $1 billion direct foreign investment (***) during the last four years.

Such mega projects, including deep water container port, attracted *** to the tune of $457 million and $105 million for Karachi International Container Terminal.

The KPT also received $75 million in respect of Pakistan International Container Terminal and Rs1 billion for development of KPT food street.

He further said that in order to improve operational capability of the port, KPT recently acquired two shipping tugs worth Euro 16.20 million, one dismountable dredger costing Euros 2.23 million and also added two pusher tugs, costing Rs369.09 million to its fleet.

Aslam Hayat said that the KPT is well aware of its social obligation towards city and recently purchased two passenger boats for commuters between Karachi and Manora at a cost of $2.345 million each.

Similarly, he said KPT plans to construct Karachi Harbour Crossing bridge, which will ease traffic congestion in the city by providing connectivity with Northern Bypass and Lyari Expressway via Manora and a cargo village is also being constructed at an estimated cost of $600 million for which financing has been sought from Asian Development Bank.

The KPT, he said, also plans to develop recreational facilities at Oyster Rock breakwater for citizens of Karachi.


http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/19/rs9bn-wb-funds-for-kpt-berths-reconstruction.html

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## Omar1984

*UAE-funded Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Bridge to open next week*








The UAE-funded Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Bridge, which was built in the Pakistan&#8217;s Swat region to link a large number of cities and villages on the two banks of the Swat River, will be opened early next week under directives from the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

In December 2010, the foundation stone was laid for the US$ 12.4 million project to replace the original, 40-year-old bridge which had been destroyed by the country&#8217;s worst floods.

The Shaikh Khalifa Bridge, 330 metres long, 10 metres wide and 6 meters high, is part of the UAE&#8217;s development and humanitarian efforts to support friendly countries.

&#8220;The new bridge which accommodates more than 5000 vehicles a day will serve 70000 people in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province north-west of Pakistan,&#8221; Director Pakistan Assistance Program Abdullah Khalifa Al Ghafli said.

The highest internationally recognized architectural and technical standards and specifications were used in construction of the project. All the metal components of the bridge were manufactured in the UK. Special anti-erosion, anti-rust and humidity-resistant concrete was used to build the anti-earthquake structure which is also resistant to floods.

UAE-funded Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Bridge to open next week


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## Omar1984

New Ayub Bridge in Swat. Completed few months ago by Pak Army and FWO.

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## Omar1984

Azad Jammu and Kashmir:

*Gilani lays foundation stone of 3-km long bridge	* 

MIRPUR (AJK) Mar 12 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Monday laid the foundation stone for the Meran Shah Bridge that would lessen the distance by 21 km between Mirpur and Islamgarh. The 3 km long bridge across the Mangla reservoir would cost Rs 4.2 billion and would have two km long approach roads on either sides. The project scheduled to be completed in May 2013, would reduce the 28-kilometer distance between Mirpur and Islamgarh to 7 kilometers. Prime Minister Gilani was accompanied by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan, Minister for Kashmir Affairs Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo, President AJK Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan and Prime Minister AJK Ch Abdul Majeed.


Associated Press Of Pakistan ( Pakistan's Premier NEWS Agency ) - Gilani lays foundation stone of 3-km long bridge


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## Hyde

*PTA to hire international consultant for 3G license auction*

Full news: PTA to hire international consultant for 3G license auction


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## Al Bhatti

Welcome to UAEPAP


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## Al Bhatti

June 23, 2012

UAE opens 40 schools in Pakistan

Nearly 21,000 boys and girls have already begun classes

Upon the directives of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE Project to Assist Pakistan has completed 40 world-class schools and institutes and handed them over to the local authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. 

Nearly 21,000 boys and girls have already started classes. 

A grand opening ceremony was held at one of the boys schools in the presence of Abdullah Khalifa Al Ghafli, Director of the Project, Major General Zahir Shah, Commander of the GOC 45th Engineers Division of the Pakistani Armed Forces, a group of Pakistani army commanders and senior government officials. 

Al Ghafli and the senior accompanying civilian and military officials unveiled the memorial plaque declaring the official opening of the school and then paid tribute to Shaikh Khalifa for the grant which constitutes a necessary, qualitative addition for improving and upgrading the education sector infrastructure in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. They also toured the school building where they inspected classes, scientific and computer laboratories, sports facilities and other support services. 

They also met the school principal and teaching and administrative staff. 

Al Ghafli also opened another school for girls and toured its various sections. 
The Project, which focuses on four major sectors: &#8209; education, public health, roads and bridges&#8209; comes within the framework of the efforts by the UAE to help Arab and Islamic countries as one of the leading donors in the field of humanitarian aid and international development around the world. 

A batch of school bags were also distributed to the students as part of an Emirati School Bags project for the benefit of Pakistani students in different locations around the country with a target of 30,000 school bags. 

Al Ghafli said that Shaikh Khalifas directives have also resulted in the building and rehabilitation of 53 schools and colleges at a cost of $27.634 million (Dh101.41 million) to accommodate between 25,000-28,000 students. 

Al Ghafli also announced the start of implementation of Shaikh Khalifas directives which include building two model schools, one in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and the other in south Waziristan at a cost of $500,000 for each school.






Abdullah Al Ghafli, Director of the Project along with officials during the opening ceremony.


gulfnews : UAE opens 40 schools in Pakistan


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## A.Rafay

*2.9 KM Malakand Tunnel to be build soon*




ISLAMABAD - The National Highway Authority has done a feasibility study for the construction of Malakand tunnel to provide a short route for the people of Malakand, Upper Dir, Lower Dir and Swat. A Korean Company, M/s Chunil, prepared the feasibility study of the 2.9-kilometre-long tunnel. Malakand Pass lies between Dargai-Batkhela and is situated at an altitude of 470 metres and 663 metres, respectively. A tunnel is needed at this site as the existing road traverses steep gradients and dangerous winding curves with various recurring land slides. This makes movement of freight carriers difficult besides causing extra-consumption, breakdowns and accidents. It may be mentioned here that the then president of Pakistan, during his visit to Swat in 2005, had directed the Ministry of Communications to conduct feasibility for Malakand tunnel. The feasibility conducted by M/s Chunil Engineering Consultants of South Korea studied three alignments. The recommended alignment envisages Dargai as starting point of the tunnel and Batkhela as end point. It also envisages road tunnels of 3.172km, two-lane 8.663km road and three bridges of 152.5 metres on each carriageway.
PC-1 for Phase-I, including design, construction and supervision of Rs 9.043 billion was approved by ECNEC in May 2011. In November 2011, a meeting between representatives of Exim Bank of South Korea, Economic Affairs Division, Ministry of Communications and NHA was held in which financing of the project was agreed upon and Exim Bank showed its readiness to provide $ 78 million loan for the purpose. The tunnel will provide a short route not only to people of Dir, Malakand and Swat and adjacent localities but would also be an easy access to Central Asian States, providing the market access to the country for its products.
The National Highway Authority has opined that at the time when Lowari tunnel is being constructed, it would not be much useful to start work on Malakand tunnel. However, the public representatives of the areas think otherwise. Talking to APP, Awami National Party Senator Zahid Khan said that Malakand tunnel was not less important than the Lowari tunnel. If Lowari tunnel provides all-weather road access to the people of only district Chitral, Malakand tunnel will prove an alternate short route to the people of four districts.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Senator Nisar Muhammad was of the view that linking Malakand tunnel to the completion of Lowari tunnel was unfortunate. He said that if a donor was ready to invest in this project, the NHA should start work on this project, otherwise the loan offer may be withdrawn as Korea may not be ready to shift the amount towards Lowari tunnel.
In January, Korean government had pledged $78 million through Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) for the construction of a 9.7 km Malakand Tunnel project. The loan provided by Korea was to be administrated by Exim Bank of Korea having nominal interest rate of 0.1 percent per annum with maturity period of 40 years including a grace period of 10 years.


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## A.Rafay

*Projects worth Rs16.44 billion Inaugurated In Multan*

MULTAN - The town is going to get 10 development projects worth Rs16.44 billion as Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is due here to inaugurate these projects on Tuesday (today).
The projects include an Agriculture University that will be set up at a cost of Rs3 billion, an Engineering University Rs3 billion, District Headquarters Hospital Rs2.68 billion, Kidney Centre Rs1.27 billion, widening of road from Bahawalpur bypass to Chungi No-9 Rs4.5 billion, Chowk Shah Abbas flyover Rs1.13 billion, Nawaz Sharif General Hospital Rs380 million, Hockey Stadium Rs250 million, Football Stadium Rs120 million and Girls Degree College Rs110 million.


The Chief Minister is likely to arrive at7:00am by his special plane and he would inaugurate all the projects one after one in a marathon run till 2:00 pm before his departure for Lahore.
PML-N MNA from NA-150 Rana Mahmoodul Hassan told this scribe that the provincial government had located and allocated land for the said universities. &#8220;The Engineering University is currently being set up in the building of Technology College in Qasimpur Colony and initially admissions to five disciplines will be offered,&#8221; he added. The disciplines include Mechanical, Chemical, Electronics, Electrical and Textile Engineering. He further disclosed that the entire Pak-German Institute and 565 kanal land in Chak 5-Faiz, another 150 acres in Chak 6-Faiz and the building of Vocational College were given to the varsity.


Referring to the Agricultural University, he revealed that acres on Old Shujabad Road, 73 acres of Auqaf Department in Makhdoom Rasheed and 400 acres in Jalalpur Pirwala were allocated for this varsity. He said that the varsity would be having Departments of Agronomy, Environmental Sciences, Plant Breeding and Genetics, Plant Pathology, Forestry and Range Management and Agriculture Extension as well as Institutes of Soil and Plant Nutrition and Horticultural Sciences under Faculty of Agriculture. Similarly, Faculty of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Faculty of Basic Sciences would also be established. 


&#8220;Initially 150 students will be given admission in BSc (Hons.) Agriculture class for 2012-13 session and after the completion of four semesters they will be distributed into different disciplines of agriculture,&#8221; he gave further details. Giving details of chief Minister&#8217;s visit, he said that Mian Shahbaz Sharif would go to his tent office at Sports Ground after reaching Multan and receive briefings on WASA, MDA projects as well as law and order situation. 


Then he will leave for Circuit where he is scheduled to inaugurate new Mass Transit System and Students Green Card Scheme. Afterwards the CM will inaugurate newly constructed Old Bahwalpur Road, and leave for Southern By-pass from where he would go for Chowk Nag shah to perform ground breaking of DHQ Hospital. The Chief Minister will also perform ground breaking of Bahawalpur Chowk to Chungi No-9 Road, Degree College Chungi No-14 and Chowk Shahbaz Flyover. Then he will come to Qasimpur Colony Technology College where he is scheduled to address a public meeting. He will also visit a crown failure site at Vehari Chowk, perform ground breaking of football and hockey stadiums as well as sports complex at Qila Qasim Bagh, inaugurate Nawaz Sharif General Hospital and leave for Lahore.


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## A.Rafay

*Punjab government High on projects, low on money*

*Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is scheduled to launch two big projects in the city on Tuesday &#8211; an Institute of Urology and Kidney Transplant at Shamsabad and a flyover at the 6th Road. But where is the money?
*
Dawn has learned that spade-work has been done on both the projects when the Rs1.017 billion flyover does not even figure on the Punjab government&#8217;s development programme for 2012-13.

Although the other does, the National Logistic Cell (NLC) is executing the Rs2 billion project just on a promise.

Even more intriguing sounds the information that the province&#8217;s communications and works department is yet to send the so-called &#8216;summary&#8217; of the flyover project to the chief minister for approval.

&#8220;If the project is not there in the annual development programme, the chief minister can give special approval for such projects,&#8221; explained an official of the City District Government Rawalpindi (CDGR). After all the NLC started executing its Urology Institute contract &#8220;on the promise&#8221; that funds would flow after the Chief Minister approves the summary, he reminded.

Not just that, the official said the NLC had met the request of the Punjab government to start work on the project of Peshawar Road Expansion from Chur Chowk to Chairing Cross without any down-payment.

Since the funds allocated for the Institute of Urology and Kidney Transplant in the 2012-13 annual development programme were &#8220;not available with the government now&#8221;, he said the project will be formally undertaken next year.

District Coordination Officer Saqib Zafar admitted to Dawn that funds had not been allocated but said the matter was not of public concern.

&#8220;You don&#8217;t worry about this issue. The provincial government has managed to start the projects. There is no need to go in to the details how they managed it,&#8221; he said.

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif will also inaugurate Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology (RIC), though its hospital part is not yet complete.

The local administration opened its Outpatients Department recently without necessary machinery being there.

Medical circles said major pathological and Echo tests facility is not available there.

Even the six watchmen needed to guard whatever equipment is there in the RIC had to be borrowed from its three allied hospitals. RIC&#8217;s Medical Superintendent, Dr. Mohammad Arshad, informed that &#8220;the in-patient department of the hospital will start working in December after needed machinery is installed&#8221;.

Angiography and angioplasty facilities will be provided in the third phase of the project next year, he added.

A local PML-N leader, requesting anonymity, told Dawn that all these projects were located in the constituency of NA-56 of PML-N MNA Hanif Abbasi who is fearing arrest in ephedrine quota scandal case. He is currently enjoying interim bail.

Additionally, the law and order situation in the constituency, as elsewhere in the city, has been rocked by the protests against the blasphemous movie. &#8220;It was not the right time to invite the chief minister to the city,&#8221; said the leader who wished not to be identified.


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## MM_Haider

*Ecnec approves Rs246.6 bn for Karachi*


Ecnec approves Rs246.6 bn for Karachi - thenews.com.pk

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) that met here on Thursday with federal minister for finance Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh in the chair approved the Rs246.588 billion Karachi Circular Railway project.

The project envisages the revival of the existing Karachi Circular Railway by proposing dualisation of the 29.41 km long KCR loop and provision of two 13.69 km long dedicated tracks along the Pakistan Railways UP main line for the Karachi city station of Drigh Road with a total route length of about 43.12 km and track length of 86.24 km.

The committee approved the scheme because of the low interest rate proposed by JICA. Moreover, it has asked the Sindh government for full coordination with the ministry of railways for early execution of the project.

While keeping in view the need for the development of FATA, the Ecnec also gave an anticipatory approval for the Munda dam project. The Ecnec, in all, approved 45 projects of paramount importance that also include the construction of 26 dams under package-II at a cost of Rs4.647billion as part of the construction of 100 Delayed Action Dams in Balochistan

The other projects that were accorded approval include Procurement/manufacture of 500 high capacity bogies/ wagons & 40 high speed power vans, costing Rs11.998 billion (PSDP-funded); special repairs of 150 diesel electric locomotives costing Rs5,005 million (PSDP- funded); mechanisation of track maintenance (pilot project), costing Rs4,055 million (PSDP-funded); Khyber Pakhtunkhwa road development sector & sub-regional connectivity project (provincial component), costing Rs12,982 million (co-funded by provincial ADP and ADB); M-4/N-70 Motorway (8 km) widening/improvement of intervening road between flyovers at double phattak and chowk Nag Shah at Multan, costing Rs4,028.500 million (PSDP-funded); management of hill ******** in CRBC area (Stage-III), Dera Ghazi Khan, costing Rs2225.735 million; procurement of machinery for rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure, costing Rs1,550 million, Punjab Irrigated Agriculture Productivity Improvement Project (PIPIP), costing Rs36,000.705 million (Word Bank and community/farmers contributions in funding); Bazai Irrigation Scheme Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, costing Rs3400.661 million; remodelling of S.M.B Link Canal & enhancing capacity of Mailsi Syphon, costing Rs2,571.088 million; Japanese Assisted Rural Roads Construction Project Phase-II, Sindh, costing Rs8,875.19 million (JBIC and Govt of Sindh funded); Naulong Dam Project, costing Rs.18,027.091 million; construction of Nai Gaj Dam Project, costing Rs.26,236.03 million; construction of Darwat Dam Project, costing Rs9,300 million; Chashma Right Bank Irrigation Project - additional works & outstanding liabilities costing Rs1150 million; Construction of six dispersal structures on Nari River costing Rs4912.39 million; construction of Toiwar/Batozai storage dam, Killa Saifullah costing Rs4344.743 million; rehabilitation of rolling stock and track in connection with bailout package costing Rs4,000 million; realignment of KKH at barrier lake, Attabad, Hunza and Gilgit-Baltistan (17 km new + 7 km rehabilitation) costing Rs26,476.820 million; establishment of AJK Medical College Muzaffrabad (Phase-II) costing Rs2702.41 million; Upgrading of 04x66 KV grid station Deara Murad Jamali, Rojhan Jamali, Usta Mohammad and Jhal Magsi to 132 KV with allied transmission lines from 220/132 KV Dera Murad Jamali grid station costing Rs1998.81 million; detailed design and construction of Matiltan HPP (84 MW) District Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa costing Rs15140.820 million, construction of Lawi hydro power project (69.0 MW) district Chitral (PC-I) costing Rs12,235.45 million, 04 MW hydro power project, Thak Chilas, costing Rs1320.117 million(PSDP + ADB funded); inter-connection of Thar coal-based 1200 MW ENGRO power plant with NTDC system, costing Rs22305.73 million, Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project (PC-I) (Tarbela Dam Project is located on the Indus River 110 km from Islamabad and falls under jurisdiction of Swabi and Haripur districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa) costing Rs83601.040 million; transmission interconnection for dispersal of power from Uch-II power project costing R.2508.160 million; Gwadar-Lasbella Livelihood Support Project costing Rs2,998.088 million and National Gas Efficiency Project costing Rs30,400 million.

The other projects which were also approved include establishment of Programme Management Office (PMO) for Pakistan Energy Efficiency Investment Programme (PC-II) under Programme Support Project (ADB loan no.2553) costing Rs1,697 million(PSDP + ADB funded); revitalising and strengthening the health service delivery and nutrition services in crises-affected districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under Public Private Partnership costing Rs2125.50 million; construction of Khyber Institute of Child Health & Children Hospital at Hayatabad, Peshawar (Phase-II) costing Rs2209.296 million; improvement of Children Hospital in Karachi costing Rs1675.952 million; Municipal Services Delivery programme, Sindh costing Rs6898.55 million; Municipal Services Delivery programme costing Rs8,733.27 million; Punjab School Libraries Project (German debt SWAP-I) costing Rs446.926 million; Sindh Basic Education Programme (SBEP) costing Rs14355 million; establishment of Provincial Training Centre for Mine Workers and Emergency Response Training costing Rs1150 million; construction of fish landing jetty and allied harbour facilities at Surbunder, Gwadar costing Rs1,043.400 million; rehabilitation of Radio Pakistan medium wave transmission network for improvement in education, health, information and enlightenment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province FATA, Gilgit-Baltistan and Punjab Province under Japanese Grant/Aid, costing Rs1644.145 million and procurement/manufacture of 50 diesel electric locomotives, costing Rs19406 million.

The committee also discussed projects titled &#8220;Establishment of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical College Mirpur (Phase-II)&#8221; at a cost of Rs3176 million (both project and operational cost). After evaluating different expects of the project it formed a committee comprising the DCPC and representative from Ministry of Finance to re-consider the operational cost to a minimum level. Ecnec also asked the government of AJK to provide a detailed report of its already completed projects.

While deliberating on a project titled &#8220;Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of Road Infrastructure Damaged due to Flood/Heavy Rain 2010 in AJK,&#8221; costing Rs1790 million, the committee asked the relevant sponsoring agency &#8211; the government of AJ&K &#8211; to find sources for funding for the said project before seeking approval.

The committee formed a panel comprising chairman NHA, representative from government of KPK and Secretary Planning, to provide inputs for identification of funding sources for the projects titled &#8220;Improvement & Widening of N-45 (141 km)&#8221;, costing Rs8550 million.

A project titled &#8220;Rehabilitation of Track on Lahore-Lalamusa section with new signaling and telecommunication system (2012-2014)&#8221; also got the same treatment. Ecnec also approved the design study of the Benazir Bridge across Rive Sutlej linking Chistian with Burewala, costing Rs1250 million. However, the cost of this project will be revised.

The project titled &#8220;Channelisation of Deg Nullah from Muridke-Narowal Road to Outfall&#8221; was also discussed in the meeting. Chief secretary Punjab requested that the funding requirements of this project should be arranged by the Flood Commission of Pakistan, which the committee accepted


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## SHAMK9

*Construction of up to 50-storey buildings in Islamabad okayed
*
Muhammad Anis
Friday, September 28, 2012


Islamabad

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has reached an agreement with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for the construction of high-rise buildings up to 50 storeys in the metropolis.

CDA Chairman Farkhand Iqbal termed the agreement a major breakthrough for future vertical development of Islamabad with minimum use of land.

As per agreement between the CDA and CAA, the permitted height of buildings would range between 150 and 550 feet that varies at different locations. It means that developers would be able to construct up to 50-storey buildings.

Currently, The Centaurus, an under-construction high-rise project, which comprise four skyscrapers, including 41-storey seven-star hotel, is the highest structure in the federal capital. The structure of three towers of offices and residential apartments had already been erected. The entire project is targeted to be completed by the end of 2014.

In the past, the CAA had raised objections over some under-construction high-rise buildings in Islamabad, including a hotel, adjacent to the

Jinnah Convention Centre.

The CDA chairman said that from Kashmir Highway up to Margalla Hills, the CAA has set the height limit of 550 feet. &#8220;The CAA officials proposed to us that all high-rise projects should be referred to them when required but we asked them to resolve the issue once and for all,&#8221; he said.

The top CDA official said that in view of shortage of land, the residents of the federal capital would witness vertical development, both residential and commercial.

He said that the prime minister has in principle agreed with a

proposal of the CDA on the construction of high-rise buildings on

both sides of Islamabad Highway from Zero Point to Koral Chowk

and Kashmir Highway.

The CDA chairman, however, was not happy over the hurdles, which he has been facing in accomplishing his development plans. &#8220;We have not asked for any money from the government but still we face problems in implementation of development projects,&#8221; he said adding that all targets could be achieved if hurdles were not created in his way.

He said that files of development plans and other proposals fail to reach the prime minister. &#8220;If bureaucratic hurdles are removed, I will be able to start and complete many development plans,&#8221; he said. However, he said that the prime minister was very positive in resolving problems of the civic body.

Source: http://www.defence.pk/forums/genera...7-development-pakistan-121.html#ixzz27jHGYtbz


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## A.Rafay

*Bus project eats up Rs 5bn of other schemes*
** Work on &#8216;politically motivated&#8217; MBS project halts progress on 52 other development schemes in Punjab

By Tariq Farid

LAHORE: &#8220;Politically motivated&#8221; Metro Bus Service (MBS) project has eaten up funds worth Rs 5 billion of 52 ongoing development schemes in Punjab as a result of which work on projects in other parts of the province has been halted.*

Funds for different development schemes of Punjab&#8217;s five authorities and as many water and sanitation agencies have been blocked and reallocated to MBS.

According to sources, out of funds worth Rs 5.36 billion allocated for these schemes in the Fiscal Year 2012-13, only Rs 370 million have been released so far.

These development schemes include 14 projects of WASA Lahore, 11 of WASA Faisalabad, three of WASA Rawalpindi, five of WASA Multan, four of WASA Gujranwala, one of Lahore Development Authority (LDA), four of Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), two of Multan Development Authority (MDA), four of Faisalabad Development Authority (FDA) and two of Gujranwala Development Authority (GDA).

The funds include Rs 2 billion for FDA schemes, Rs 860 million for MDA schemes, Rs 750 million for GDA schemes and Rs 150 million for WASA Faisalabad schemes.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) has submitted an adjournment motion in the Punjab Assembly regarding reallocation of funds for development schemes to MBS.

The motion said that shifting funds of development schemes such as water projects to a &#8220;failed project&#8221; like MBS would be &#8220;grave injustice to the people of other districts&#8221;. 

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif&#8217;s government had been spending public money on &#8220;politically motivated projects&#8221;, said the motion.

The Punjab government had allocated Rs 29 billion for the project in the 2012-13 fiscal budget, but the project could cross Rs 70 billion mark.

Pakistan People&#8217;s Party&#8217;s deputy parliamentary leader in Punjab Assembly Shaukat Mehmood Basra has called MBS an &#8220;illegal&#8221; project, saying that the provincial government had not taken permission from the federal government to start projects worth Rs 5 billion or above.

According to law, he added, it was compulsory for all provincial governments to take permission in advance from the federal government and its Finance Department for all projects worth Rs 5 billion or above.

The digging and closure of roads due to MBS project have also become a permanent source of trouble for people in the city as the government has failed to provide an alternate traffic plan.

According to the first deadline given by the government, the project on Ferozepur Road (from Kalma Chowk to Gajju Matta) should have been completed by April and from Gajju Matta to Bhaati Chowk by October and from Gajju Matta to Shahdara by December. But keeping in view the pace of work, it seems the project will take more time.


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## A.Rafay

*PM to launch US 282 mln KKH re-alignment project*
*
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf will perform the ground breaking of an ambitious 282 million dollar project for the re-alignment of 25 km long section of Karakoram Highway on Friday. 
*
The new road would replace a section of the existing road, submerged in an artificial lake created by a massive landslide in the Hunza river, at Attabad in 2010. Keeping in view the deep strategic ties between Pakistan and China, Prime Minister Ashraf will personally launch the project. The Chinese government too has evinced keen interest in the project and pledged to provide all technical assistance.The Prime Minister will also review the development projects launched by his government in Gilgit-Baltistan and would also likely to announce some more, during his first visit to the area.Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has traditionally maintained deep ties with the people of Gilgit-Baltistan, and won a heavy mandate in the polls in the region. The government has also gained their confidence, and reciprocates through several welfare projects.


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## aks18

Attabad section will have a tunnel n bridges for this section and china will fund 97% and project completion date is 2014

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## A.Rafay

*AJK cabinet meeting: Development schemes worth Rs3.4b approved*
*MIRPUR:* 
The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet Development Committee (CDC) approved development schemes worth Rs3.4 billion on Wednesday during a meeting with AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed.
PM Majeed said the government believes in indiscriminate development across the state and aims to eliminate the sense of deprivation among people living in remote areas.
For the transport and communication sector, the committee approved Rs123.302 million for improvement and widening of the 10km patch of Batlian Phagwan Road, Rs140.257 million for the 10km Lamnian Reshian Road, Rs366.748 million for different link roads in Muzaffarabad Division, Rs128.806 million for Beli Bridge on Jehlum River near Ambore, Rs307.323 million for a 4.5km patch of Khaliqabad Road in Mirpur and Rs146.486 million for a bridge on Jatli Ali Baig Road.
For the power sector, the committee allocated an amount of Rs210.764 million for the installation of solar power systems in upper Neelum and Bagh.
For the education sector, Rs282.921 million and Rs174.540 million were allocated to acquire land for Poonch University and 26 upgraded colleges respectively, along with Rs127.473 million for construction of new buildings and provision of furniture in seven newly-established middle schools in Sudhnoti district.
A total of Rs136.319 million were approved for Roli Hills scheme, Rs250 million for civil secretariat blocks in Lower Chattar, Rs354.431 million for Dadyal Bypass, Rs146.161 million for Cheechiyan Bypass, and Rs217.130 for improvement of Pir Kaladab Road and Rs290 million for Pir-Gali-Pir Godi Road.
&#8220;A number of areas have been badly affected by the recent monsoon rains and the residents are facing serious problems regarding electricity provision. Their problems must be resolved without delay and if any other scheme is needed in this connection then bring it to the forum,&#8221; the PM told the electricity secretary.
The meeting was attended by various AJK ministers including Chaudry Muhammad Yasin, Chaudry Muhammad Arshad, Chaudry Rashid, Ali Shan Soni, Parvaiz Ashraf, Javeed Ayub, Faisal Rathor and Azhar Gillani as well as secretaries to the government.


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## A.Rafay

*Minister for timely completion of ongoing projects*
KARACHI - State Minister for Communications Mir Dost Muhammad Mazari on Sunday said that special attention is being paid by the present PPP-led government to development of Sindh province.
He said this while chairing a meeting at the Regional Headquarters of the National Highway Authority (NHA), here.
While addressing the meeting, he directed the officials concerned to ensure timely completion of all those ongoing development projects including construction of highways which are being executed in Sindh under the supervision of the NHA. The state minister directed the officials concerned to complete the ongoing projects in Sindh as soon as possible so as to facilitate the people.
He also directed to maintain the international standards of work during the construction of Lyari Expressway project and ensure its completion with in stipulated time.
General Manager NHA sindh, Nadeem Ahmed Bhayo, Director Maintenance, Shabbir Shaikh, DIG Motorways Police Ahmed Dasti and other officials concerned were also present.
The State Minister also given briefing with regard to performance of the NHA Sindh and Motorway Police, to which, he expressed satisfaction.
Minister for timely completion of ongoing projects | Pakistan Today | Latest news | Breaking news | Pakistan News | World news | Business | Sport and Multimedia

*Nanchuan Industrial Park inaugurated*
LAHORE - Nanchuan Industrial Park Business Development Centre has been inaugurated in Lahore. The centre which was set up by the Chinese government would facilitate Chinese entrepreneurs for investment in Punjab as well as provide necessary guidance to investors of the Punjab to set up their businesses in China. A similar centre would also be set up in China for this purpose. Speaking on the inaugural ceremony, Nanchuan Industrial Park Director General Administration Committee, Huang Guojun said that the purpose of opening office in Lahore was to facilitate Pakistani and Chinese investors to initiate new projects. He further said that Chinese companies were interested in investing in the major sectors like alternative energy, pharmaceuticals, mining and minerals, textiles, wool and yarn spinning, meat and meat processing and agriculture.

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## A.Rafay

*CDA chief opens his innings with a string of visits

* Syed Tahir Shahbaz promises projects will be completed on priority basis*

The entertainment and cultural facilities and other projects need to be made self-sustainable through efficient management and holding of extensive events to help promote traditional heritage and colours of representative cultures from across the country, said Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Syed Tahir Shahbaz during his maiden visits to Capital Hospital, Pakistan Monument and National Monument Museum, Pak-China Friendship Centre and Art and Craft Village on Sunday. 

The incomplete works and projects should be completed on the basis of competing priorities to achieve the envisaged objectives and reap the early benefits of these initiatives for provision quality civic amenities, recreations and improved health services in the federal capital, he added. 

Speaking at capital hospital, Tahir said the CDA was proud to have a hospital equipped with modernised health infrastructure and facilities in addition to qualified doctors and paramedical staff. He said authority would provide all out resources and would focus on improving the curative and preventive health facilities as well as emergency services through dedicated ambulance service CDA Care-1122 in the city. 

Syed Tahir Shahbaz during his visit to Pakistan Monument said that Pakistan National Monument and Museum project is truly awe-inspiring and one must commend the efforts of the designers, artists and sculptors who have preserved our precious heritage and rich culture in such an extraordinary way. Member administration Muneer Ahmed briefed the chairman about different aspects of its making, operation and upkeep.

The CDA chairman was apprised that the Pakistan Monument, a petal-shaped granite structure has been designed to reflect the history, culture and unity of the provinces of Pakistan. The inner walls of the petals are decorated with murals, which show important landmarks of Pakistan like Lahore Fort, Badshahi Mosque, Khyber Pass, Minar-e-Pakistan, etc. There is also a metallic crescent that is inscribed with sayings of the Quaid-e-Azam and poetry of Dr Allama Muhamad Iqbal.

The monument is surrounded by green and well-groomed gardens that give a very serene impact. The CDA chairman said that the museum explains Pakistan in historical perspective not only to the visitors from within and outside the country but also to the future generation and directed for its better upkeep and maintenance. While visiting the Pak-China Friendship Centre, Tahir said that it is the hallmark of Pakistan China friendship and there is a need to make it a centre of cultural activities, adding that such activities would enable the centre to generate its own resources to make it self-sustainable.He said that authority is focusing to provide cultural and infotainment facilities with enhanced income generation but we are not having the agenda to run these as business and commercial venture. Chairman CDA visited different areas of the centre including cafeteria, theatre hall, residential compound and directed to ensure cleanliness and hygienic condition as well as better upkeep and security of costly equipments installed in the centre. 

He was apprised that the three-storey Pak-China Friendship Centre covers an area of 12 acres. Ground floor has been allocated for offices, theatre hall and cafeteria. First floor consists of study rooms, library, committee rooms and exhibition hall, while the third floor consists of residential compound of different categories with 57 rooms. The centre has centrally air-conditioned cooling system with latest fire-extinguish system. Pak-China Friendship Centre has been facilitated with a vast car parking for 600 vehicles. The Centre was handed over to CDA after the dissolution of Ministry of Culture.

Syed Tahir Shahbaz said that Arts & Crafts Village has a potential to revitalize and introduce Pakistan&#8217;s rich and vibrant heritage and create appreciation of country&#8217;s cultural heritage, promote indigenous crafts and support artisans by ensuring better income and minimizing the role of middleman and contribute towards promoting soft image of the country. He was apprised that Arts and Crafts Village covers an area of 26 acres in which different pavilions have been established. Chairman CDA directed the committee to come up with a comprehensive plan regarding commencement of arts and crafts activities in the village, necessary repair/maintenance and beautification work at the facility.


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## A.Rafay

*OVM to develop Latif Gas Field*
KARACHI - OMV and its joint venture partners have inked an agreement to develop Latif gas field located in the Sindh province of Pakistan. OMV is the operator of Latif concession and holds a 33.34% interest. The other partners in the joint venture are Eni (33.33% interest) and PPL (33.33% interest). According to media reports, the development will comprise of drilling of new wells and construction of a 50 km pipeline to transport Latif gas to the OMV operated Sawan gas plant where Latif gas will be processed and thereafter delivered to customers. OMV is targeting a net production of 5,700 boe/d from Latif in 2014.
The company said that Latif field development decision which had been stalled for some time was rendered economically feasible due to the new petroleum policy of Pakistan. This policy provides higher prices for new discoveries and for investments leading to incremental production over and above the reserves approved and certified.


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## A.Rafay

*OGDCL achieves 4.6% growth rate*
ISLAMABAD - Mr. Masood Siddiqui Managin Director / Chief Executive Officer, Oil & Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) stated that the company has achieved 4.6% growth rate in production of oil & gas, a significant increase in exploration and will drill 37 new wells during the current fiscal year against 17 wells drilled last year while addressing the audience during the seminar organized by Petroleum Institute of Pakistan, (PIP) at OGDCL House yesterday. The seminar was presided by Dr. Asim Hussain Advisor to Prime Minister on Petroleum & Natural Resources.


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## A.Rafay

*The &#8216;useless&#8217; Liberty Parking Plaza that cost us millions*





LAHORE - The policy-makers have finally conceded on Tuesday that the expensive Liberty Parking Plaza is an &#8216;unsuccessful&#8217; project, Pakistan Today has learned. 
The parking plaza which opened to the general public two years ago was a part of part of the Lahore Development Authority&#8217;s (LDA) Urban Planning Vision 2015 initiative and the first of its kind nine-storey parking facility, opened to the public on November 30, 2010. The authorities concerned categorically said all sorts of vehicular parking at roadsides and at the side streets in the area would be banned, and the region would be earmarked only to be used by pedestrians.
The then acting TEPA Chief Engineer Israr Saeed had told reporters that the construction of plaza was a part of the LDA&#8217;s mega plan to create a Central Business District (CBD) in the city, which would comprise Jail Road, Main Boulevard Gulberg, MM Alam Road, part of Hali Road and the Shahrah-e-Noor Jehan. He said that the project would also help create investment, business and employment opportunities.
The parking plaza was opened up in the face of sheer criticism from traders which maintained that it would affect their businesses being far away from the main liberty market. Others near the plaza feared a decline in the number of customers because the customers would not prefer to park and walk over to the shops.
The park and ride plaza was constructed at a cost of Rs 677.47 million with 91 shops and parking facilities for 350 vehicles. However, after two years since it opened up, the government has finally succumbed to allowing parking on the roads adjacent to it.
&#8220;We told the officials even when the project was an idea that it is not going to be a success, rather will be nuisance for the customers and shopkeepers alike. We still appreciate the fact that the government has taken a step two years later, but a lot of public funds have gone wasted,&#8221; a shopkeeper near Park and Ride plaza said, on the condition of anonymity.
Another senior official privy to the construction of the plaza revealed that the chief minister took personal interest in the construction of the plaza as various high profile meetings were held on it. There were many voices of concern even in the administration, but the project was completed anyway. 
TEPA Chief Engineer Akhtar Saeed told Pakistan Today that the policy shift has come from the government, &#8220;TEPA was only tasked with construction and operational work. The enforcement is done by the traffic wardens,&#8221; he added.
Lahore CTO Capt (r) Sohail said the DCO formally allowed that area to be used as a parking space. DCO Noorulamin Mengal and the DO (public facilities) however were busy in a gathering and not available for comments.
The


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## A.Rafay

*Railways incurred Rs 220 billion expenditure in last four years: National Assembly informed*
Pakistan Railways has incurred Rs 220 billion expenditure, including Rs 189 billion current expenditure and Rs 31 billion as development expenditure during the last four years till July 2012. 

In response to a question, Minister for Railways Ghulam Ahmad Bilour on Friday informed the National Assembly that the government had provided Rs 93 billion subsidy to the Railways and Rs 32 billion as Assistance for Development Projects during the last four years, with Rs 14 billion as overdraft from the State Bank of Pakistan. 

About division-wise detail of excess expenditure incurred by the Divisions of Pakistan Railways during the year 2011-12, Bilour told the house that the government had allocated Rs 41 billion to the Railways in fiscal year 2011-12 budget, however, expenditure of the department was Rs 44 billion and Rs 26 billion remained as a Excess/ Saving of the Railways during the period. 

He said that all public sector debt, including Pakistan Railways is guaranteed by the government of Pakistan and approved as charged expenditure. "Two types of debt are serviced by the PR ie domestic and foreign debts. The Economic Affairs Division has been mandated to manage foreign debt servicing of Pakistan Railways within the overall debt management framework and with the approval of Finance Division, moratorium has been imposed upon payment of interest on Overdraft till June 30, 2013," he added. 

To another question about the main reasons of losses of Pakistan Railways and the steps taken by the government to control the losses during last four years, the minister told the house that presently 137 out of 494 Diesel Electric (DE) Locomotives were functional and as many as 357 engines were out of service. He added that the PR freight operation, which was main source of earning, was badly affected due to the acute shortage of locomotives. 

Replying another question about the rehabilitation of families presently residing alongside the old/proposed tracks of Karachi circular Railway, Bilour informed the house that presently 4653 households had occupied as many as 170 acres of the PR land in Shah Latif Town Ship near Jumma Goth. "However, the government is likely to sign loan agreement with Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) in December 2012 for the resettlement of affected people, which includes development of a modern township for the affected households," he added. 

Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim stated in a written reply while responding to question moved by Tahira Aurangzed regarding the year-wise total value of exports and imports carried out between Pakistan and Philippine during the last five years, that volume of trade between both the countries was worth $124.4 million during last five year.


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## A.Rafay

*Development projects completed in Mohmand Agency*
PESHAWAR - Aiming at providing better transportation facilities and protecting Mohmand Agency from flooding, the political administration has constructed three roads and protective walls in certain areas.
According to a press release issued by FATA Secretariat, the roads will link Ashraf Haji, Mohammad Roz and Bar Kata Sar villages while two walls have also been built surrounding Sahib Kor village and Sohail Kor Qasam Tabar village to protect them from flood. 
According to the press release, 741 meters long link road was constructed in Ashraf Haji village of Khwaizi Tehsil along with 220 meters extensive drains and 244 meters long retaining wall so as to reduce future flood damage. 
Likewise administration completed another uplift project in Mohammad Roz village of Tehsil Safi by constructing 2615 meters long link road and 227 meters long sidewall. The adjacent people of Sagi and Dawaizai areas would also be benefited from the project.
A 616 meters link road was also constructed in Bar Kata Sar Gurbaz village of Tehsil Safi to provide easy access to main road, markets, schools and hospitals. 
In its ongoing efforts, administration constructed 480 meters and 347 meters long flood protection walls in Lal Zaman Qala, Sahib Kor village and Sohail Kor Qasam Tabar village of Tehsil Pindiali respectively to safeguard the peoples and their houses and agricultural lands from flash floods. 
Whereas 1621 meters Long Street was also paved besides 333 meters extensive drain was structured in Irfan Kore Kamali, Halimzai Tehsil.


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## A.Rafay

*NHA reviews highway projects*

ISLAMABAD: National Highway Authority Chairman Muhammad Javaid Iqbal Awan presided over a high-level meeting in which national highway projects being undertaken with the cooperation of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) were reviewed. 

The ADB Mission was led by transport specialist Dong Soo Pyo. Detailed discussions were made on technical issues of ADB-aided projects. The meeting also discussed ways and means to solve such issues for early completion of the schemes. On this occasion, Awan commended the services of the ADB, for providing financial assistance in national highway schemes. He desired to overcome the issues through mutual consultation so that projects could be realised as per schedule.

The meeting was told that the ADB has approved $170 million for National Trade Corridor Highway Investment Programme Project -1 under which 58 kilometres (kms) Faisalabad-Gojra section is being realised and $39 million has been disbursed. Likewise $230 million is allocated for National Highway Development Investment Pro-gramme (Project-2).


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## A.Rafay

*NESPAK has undertaken 3,300 uplift projects at home, abroad: MD*
*LAHORE: NESPAK, a leading organisation of consulting engineers, has set a new record by executing 3,300 engineering projects at home and abroad since its establishment in 1973. Costing a cumulative cost of Rs 8,900 billion, 2,825 of these projects are located in Pakistan and 478 projects in 36 developing countries of the Middle East, Asia, Africa and the Arab world thus playing a key role in the socio-economic development of these countries.*

This was stated in an interview on Thursday by NESPAK Managing Director Asad I A Khan. Giving details, he said that besides Pakistan, currently NESPAK is busy in the execution of several large overseas projects in Saudi Arabia relating to the water storage dams, power and transmission line projects and transmission of water supply to Jeddah in the Makkah-al-Mukarramah Region. In Qatar, NESPAK has secured five new projects relating to the construction supervision of large villas; a desalination project; a mosque and the upgradation of a sports club. In Afghanistan, NESPAK is busy in the preparation of detailed design and construction supervision of several projects including an on-farm water management project; seismic study and structural assessment of Jamhooriat Hospital, Kabul. In Oman, NESPAK is executing road, sewerage and water distribution projects. 

*Giving details of some of the major home projects, Khan said that these include Ghazi-Barotha and Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Projects; Tarbela and Mangla Extension Power projects; Mangla Dam Raising Project, Mirani, Sabakzai, Barra and Munda dams, 500 KV Transmission Lines Project; Muzaffargarh Thermal Power Project; Flood Damages Restoration Projects; Greater Thal Canal Projects; Rehabilitation of Taunsa and Islam Barrages; Lahore Ring Road Project; Sialkot-Lahore Motorway; Kohat Tunnel Project; Pindi-Bhattian-Faisalabad Motorway (M-3); New Islamabad, Sialkot and New Gwadar International Airports, Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project, Kalma Chowk Flyover in Lahore and Metro Bus Transit System Lahore.*

NESPAK is also providing the architectural design and construction supervision for the Rs 3 billion Pakistan Secretariat Block, Islamabad; project; Naval Housing Scheme Karachi; Benazir Bhutto Monument at Islamabad; Jalozai Campus of UET Peshawar; Telecommunication Tower Islamabad; Fatima Jinnah Institute of Dental Services Lahore and NUST Campus Islamabad.

Khan revealed that NESPAK has considerably helped in reducing dependence on foreign consultants and it has played a key role in the promotion of engineering consultancy profession in Pakistan. It has encouraged the home consulting companies in undertaking large consultancy projects at home and abroad. In several cases, NESPAK has associated itself with home consultancy firms by forming joint ventures with them as a lead firm for undertaking home and foreign projects. He concluded by saying that NESPAK is providing top class quality design and engineering consultancy services to the full satisfaction of all its home and foreign clients and NESPAK has kept high its professional image which is its great asset.


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## A.Rafay

*President asks govt to upgrade Gilgit Airport*

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Zardari on Monday asked the government to upgrade Gilgit Airport to improve communication of the area with the rest of the country.
President Zardari said this while talking to the members of Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Council at the Presidency. The members included Professor Ghulam Hussain Saleem, Wazir Ibadat, Muhammad Ibrahim, Amjad Hussain, Saeed Afzal and Attaullah Khan. Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Governor Karam Ali Shah and Chief Minister Mehdi Shah were also present. Developmental projects in Gilgit-Baltistan and overall situation, especially the law and order were discussed during the meeting.
The president said that in line with the vision of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who abolished the draconian Frontier Crime Regulations (FCR) in Gilgit-Baltistan and introduced substantial administrative, judicial and political reforms, the government also accorded priority to the uplift of Gilgitians. He said that the government had taken substantive measures to involve the Gilgitians in their socio-economic developmental process and their political empowerment. He said that the introduction of GB Empowerment and Self Governance Order 2009, which provided the people with representative government, was one of the landmark achievements of the government. The GB CM Shah briefed President Zardari about the work progress on Attabad Lake Project and the rehabilitation of the affected people.


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## A.Rafay

*Work on pedestrian bridge at Zero Point Interchange starts*

*ISLAMABAD: Better late than never, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has finally started installation of a direly-needed pedestrian bridge at Zero Point bringing a ray of hope for walkers
who used to risk their lives daily to cross 10-lane Islamabad Highway.*

"The foundation work of the walker's bridge has been completed. It would take almost a month to complete," a CDA official told this news
agency on Sunday.

He said the Heavy Mechanical Complex has been tasked to install the steel-structured bridge that has cost Rs18 million. The bridge would facilitate safe movement of pedestrians moving to an from sector G-7 and G-8 besides nearby located government offices and media houses.

The CDA has already constructed a pedestrian bridge near I-8 intersection to facilitate movement of the walkers as the bridge neighbors the federal colleges and witnesses the heavy movement of students.

The daily crime report of Islamabad Police reveals that almost two to
three hit-and-run incidents take place in Islamabad that sometime also claim pedestrians' lives.

The CDA has widened Islamabad Highway to 10 lanes, constructed 7th Avenue and 9th Avenue and work to widen Kashmir Highway to 10 lanes is also in progress. However, the installation of pedestrian bridges at various locations is yet awaited.

Likewise, every day hundreds of people cross eight-kilometer 9th Avenue that is located between sectors F-8, G-8, H-8, I-8 and F-9, G-9, H-9 and I-9. On this avenue, important entities including Fatima Jinnah Park, weekly bazaar, Allama Iqbal Open University and hundreds of industrial units are located.


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## A.Rafay

*Peshawar-Torkham Road will enhance trade in region: Arbab Alamgir*

Work on the road will be started in December this year and completed in two years

Federal Minister for Communications Arbab Alamgir Khalil said that Peshawar - Torkham Road will not only provide access to Afghanistan and to Central Asian Republics but also promote trade and economic activities in the region.

He was presiding over a meeting of National Highway Authority in Peshawar on Tuesday.

Briefing the meeting Chief Coordinator National Highway Authority Brigadier Retd Liaq Ali that this road of international standards will be completed at a cost of seven point five billion rupees with the financial assistance of United States. Work on the road will be started in December this year and completed in two years.


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## A.Rafay

*PSM gets second tranche of bailout package*
KARACHI: The ministry of finance has released the second tranche of the bailout package worth Rs5.40 billion to Pakistan Steel Mills of Rs14.6 billion approved in July, said officials of PSM, on Wednesday.

The National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) has received a letter from the ministry, asking the bank to open letters of credit worth Rs5.40 billion for the import of raw material.

Sources said that the PSM could avail only Rs1.20 billion of total Rs5.40 billion for the import of raw materials, as the bank would deduct its pending payments from the PSM. Moreover, the PSM would also clear its utility bills pending from the tranche.

Officials said that a ship carrying 55,000 tons coal was scheduled to arrive at the PSM by Thursday (today).

&#8220;This is the first shipment of raw material, which was imported from the first tranche of the bailout package received in August.&#8221;


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## SHAMK9

*Rural uplift: Rs130m to be spent on &#8216;modelling villages&#8217; around capital*
ISLAMABAD: 
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) plans to spend around Rs130 million on 16 development projects in model villages around Islamabad.
The CDA Engineering Member Sanaullah Aman said this on Wednesday during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on the Cabinet Secretariat.
So far, only Rs27.5 million has been released by the CDA, Aman said, while adding that the projects will be completed within four to eight months.
&#8220;For now, we are focusing on rehabilitation work in these villages,&#8221; Aman said, explaining that the projects will deal with roads, drainage, sewerage and water supply.
There are eight model villages planned around Islamabad &#8212; Nurpur Shahan, Kuri, Margalla Town, Tarlai, Shahzad Town, Farash Town, Humak and Rawal Town &#8212; only the first three of which are within the CDA&#8217;s municipal limits, CDA Planning Member Mustafain Kazmi told the committee members.
The other five are inside the Islamabad Capital Territory, he said, while identifying why some of these villages are still without the kind of development urban Islamabad has seen.
Humak will receive the most attention in the CDA&#8217;s development plans, with Rs46 million to be spent there on five projects. Three projects will be completed in Shahzad Town at the cost of Rs18 million, according to Aman.
Farash Town, Margalla Town and Rawal Town will get Rs32 million, Rs26million and Rs12 million, respectively.
Aman said the CDA had initially devised a &#8220;stand post&#8221; water supply system for these villages, which means installing water taps over there. But now, the authority has moved towards building tube wells and a water supply network.
He said Humak has five tube wells, Margalla Town has two, Rawal Town has three, while one will be completed in Shahzad Town by December.
This is because five of these villages lie outside our municipal limits, the CDA&#8217;s municipal bylaws do not apply to them, Kazmi said. &#8220;However, the villages have still been looked after&#8221;.
&#8220;The CDA has tried to provide maximum facilities to these villages, even though we cannot charge property taxes there,&#8221; Kazmi said.
He said the civic agency had provided water, electricity and sewerage facilities to the model villages in the past.
Committee member Tariq Fazal Chaudhary, who is also the MNA for rural Islamabad, raised the issue of nonconforming use of the agro-farms around Islamabad, especially farms being used as marriage halls.
Kazmi said the deadline for the CDA&#8217;s recent notice of compliance to agro-farm owners will run out in the next four to five days. He said the CDA&#8217;s enforcement officials will take stern action against violators after the deadline, even if the farms are owned by influential individuals.
The committee was also supposed to discuss subcommittee reports on the allotment of a plot to Ilyas Cold Storage in Sector I-11/1 and the CDA-approved project for a transport system in Islamabad, but subcommittee chair Pervaiz Khan was not present at the meeting.
Meanwhile, CDA Chairman Tahir Shahbaz, who is leaving for Turkey on Thursday, did not appear at a meeting of the NA Standing Committee on the Capital Administration and Development Division on Wednesday.
Shahbaz was supposed to brief the committee members on the CDA&#8217;s development projects. Committee chair Jamshaid Ahmad Dasti ordered the committee secretary to summon the CDA chairman for the next meeting.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 8th, 2012.
Rural uplift: Rs130m to be spent on


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## A.Rafay

*Dual track between Lahore, Karachi to be laid by March, LCCI told*

LAHORE: The dual track between Lahore and Karachi will be completed by March 2013 while two more trains under public-private partnership are being started soon.

This was stated by General Manager Operations Pakistan Railways Junaid Qureshi while speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Thursday.

Junaid Qureshi maintained that not a single locomotive has been added to railways fleet since 2008. He added that the Pak Railways is ready to provide track facility to private sector if it wants to run own locomotives. He said that Track Access Policy is likely to be finalized as a meeting to this regard is being held on Friday.

About trade with India, he said that the Pak railways is willing to enhance free day demurrage period from existing 24 hours to 48 hours. He said that the railways is fast heading towards revival as a number of steps are being taken to turn it into a profitable institution. He said that the Railways earned Rs 650 million more than what it earned last year.

He said that fuel and utility bills are eating up a bigger portion of federal government funding to railways. He said that since 1995 the fuel prices registered a surge of 800 per cent while railways made a raise of 105 per cent of freight train fares and 70 per cent in the fares of Passenger trains.

The GM agreed that Mughalpura Dryport needs uplift on urgent basis and would be done at the earliest to facilitate the businessmen and enhance traffic.

Speaking on the occasion, the LCCI President Farooq Iftikhar said that the business community is very much concerned with the present state of Pakistan Railways. Although many public sector enterprises are deteriorating due to poor performance and bad governance, but railways is one of the crucial sectors that affects the business community directly.

The LCCI President said that the political interference coupled with poor maintenance of tracks, locomotives, coaches, bridges and mismanagement at a wide scale are the major causes of failure of Pakistan Railways.

He urged the top management of railways to take immediate steps for improving the deteriorating situation. He stressed the need for Central Traffic Control system to avoid accidents and also improve the efficiency of trains.

The LCCI President said that the element of corruption either in the form of financial mismanagement in purchases or by way of not delivering the services with honesty and dedication is the main cause of this crisis in Railways. In 2003, Pakistan Railways purchased 69 completely built locomotives from China and in less than a decade almost 32 of these have been scrapped.

He said that Pakistan Railways has been left with a fleet of around 100 locomotives to run its entire operation, including 200 train and freight services. Shortage of over 400 locomotives will surely lead to further breakdowns of power vans in midways.

The LCCI former Vice President Aftab Ahmad Vohra and Executive Committee Member Amjad Chaudhry said that the railway authorities are providing facilities to Prem Nagar Dry port while ignoring the Lahore Dry Port, which is under its own possession and control.

Dual track between Lahore, Karachi to be laid by March, LCCI told

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## A.Rafay

*Thermal Power Plants: ministry asked to ensure provision of fuel*

Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has directed the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources to work in close co-ordination with the Ministry of Water & Power and ensure provision of fuel to Thermal Power Plants so that power generation in the country is maintained at the optimum level. 

This directive was given by the Prime Minister in his meeting with Advisor on Petroleum, Dr Asim Hussain here on Friday. The Prime Minister further directed the advisor to ensure uninterrupted supply of gas to domestic consumers during winter. He asked him to sensitise the people about the winter plan through effective media campaign. The Prime Minister said that as winter sets in, the demand for gas would increase. 

It is necessary that foolproof arrangements be made to ensure that supply of gas to domestic consumers remain unaffected, he added. Dr Asim said it was expected that the flow of direct foreign investment in Pakistan for investment in petroleum and gas sectors would increase as a result of the new Petroleum Policy.

Thermal Power Plants: ministry asked to ensure provision of fuel | Business Recorder


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## SHAMK9

*Rs100bn released so far for development projects*
ISLAMABAD: The Planning Commission of Pakistan has so far released Rs. 100 billion under its Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) against the total allocations of Rs. 233 billion for the fiscal year 2012-13, according to the latest data of the commission released here.

Out of total Rs. 55.4 billion have been released for 344 infrastructure development projects while Rs. 41.5 billion for 673 social sector projects.

Similarly, Rs. 1.1 billion have been released for 68 other projects and Rs. 2 billion for Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA).

According to data, these releases have been made against Rs. 233 PSDP allocations.

It is pertinent to mention here that the total size of the PSDP for the year 2012-13 is Rs. 360, including Rs. 100 billion foreign aid, which is managed by Economic Affairs Division and Rs. 27 billion special programmes, release of which are made by Cabinet Division or Finance Division.

According to break up details the total cost of 344 infrastructure projects has been estimated at Rs. 2346.4 billion, out of which Rs. 210.9 billion have been earmarked in the 2012-13 budget that include Rs. 85.6 as foreign aid.

Likewise, the total cost of social sector projects is Rs. 547.1, of which Rs. 136.2 billion have been allocated in the current PSDP with foreign aid of Rs. 8.4 percent.

The cost of other projects has been estimated at Rs. 40.6 billion out of which Rs. 3 billion have been earmarked in the PSDP 2012-13 while Rs 10 billion have been earmarked for ERRA in the current development programme.

The Planning Commission of Pakistan has been following a proper mechanism for the release of funds and accordingly funds are released as per given mechanism.

The commission releases 20pc of funds in first quarter (July September), 20pc in second quarter (October December), 25pc third quarter (January March) and 35pc in fourth quarter (April June).

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2012
Rs100bn released so far for development projects
Why cant we have elections every year?


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## SHAMK9

*Government wants to establish EPZ in Multan*
Government wants to establish export processing zone (EPZ) in Multan to boost up the exports from southern Punjab, said Saif-ur-Rehman of Export Processing Zone Authority (EPZA) while talking to the body of Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) headed by its president Muhammad Khan Saddozai here today.

He said that MCCI should establish an office of EPZA in its building to execute this project as early as possible. Saif-ur-Rehman told that Export processing zone would be exempted of load shedding of electricity and gas and the investors could import machinery, spare parts and tools free of duty for a specific period. He further said that 80 percent products manufactured there would be exported and 20 percent could be sold in local market. There would be a separate security system.

The meeting was also attended by Senior Vice President Bakhtawar Tanvir Sheikh, former presidents of MCCI Khawaja Muhammad Abdullah, Mian Mughis'A Sheikh, Khawaja Muhammad Hussain, Khawaja Muhammad Usman and Khurram Javed. They said that EPZ project was pending since 2003 due to the reasons best known to the authorities. 

| Business Recorder

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## Al Bhatti

In 2010, plagued by ceaseless monsoon rainfall, Pakistan encountered its worst recorded flooding in recent history. In the Khyber Pukhtoon Khwa, the river Swat flooded its banks, and within days, engulfed huge areas of the local countryside. The unrelenting water swept away everything in its path causing death and destruction of an unheard scale in the popular tourist destination. Situated almost entirely amongst a chain of mountains and dissected entirely by the mighty river, the Swat valley is home to some of the roughest terrain imaginable, making relief and rehabilitation efforts a laborious undertaking for the Pakistani government as well as for local and international relief organizations.

Severely affected by the flood, the people of Swat lost bridges, schools and hospitals, and got their crops destroyed and their livestock washed away. This complete extermination of infrastructure has resulted in a widespread outbreak of disease as access to clean water and medical care is no longer available. Similarly, the loss of a great number of schools has cast a dark shadow over the education future of thousands of students, as the bridges, vital connecting points between communities and sources of access to commerce and mobility have been wiped out. Forced into living and studying in tents, confined to communities struggling for survival and cut off from the rest of the world, the people of Swat have lost not only their lives, homes and belongings; they have also lost hope. Unable to cope with the sheer scale of the disaster, Pakistan issued an international call for aid and assistance. Fittingly, the first country to answer that call was the United Arab Emirates. The government of the UAE felt that it was not a matter of responsibility but a call of duty to provide any support that the people of Pakistan required in their darkest hour. A duty born out of years of trust, friendship and solidarity between the two countries; this would be one more act of brotherhood between two nations that have always shared each others&#8217; pain and joy over the years.

On the 12th of January, 2011, the UAE Pakistan Assistance Program was launched in order to help and provide assistance to Pakistan and mitigate the impact of floods by redeveloping infrastructure, as per the directives of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates. The UAE PAP has worked along a comprehensive redevelopment plan that takes into account the harsh geography and the rough weather conditions of the region while focusing on four main areas of social redevelopment: health, education, water and infrastructure. The Program has taken some vital steps to ease the pain and suffering that the people of Swat have become accustomed to as it provided for the construction and rehabilitation of two bridges, 52 schools and 7 hospitals, as well as the implementation of 64 water supply schemes.

In unified collaboration, the Pakistan Army and the UAE PAP have handed over all 64 water schemes, 21 schools and a bridge in one year of operations. Projected to service 5000 cars daily, the bridges have ensured access to transport and commerce to communities in desperate need of economic and social uplift while the water supply schemes have provided around 1200 families with the most precious gift of all: clean drinking water. Most importantly, 21 schools are already operational and providing countless children with access to education and the chance that they deserve for a better future, not only for themselves but for the people and valley of Swat.
Partners

The UAE Pakistan Assistance Program signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Pakistan on the 10th of December, 2010 in Islamabad. After an immediate survey of the affected areas, work started at a rapid pace, keeping within schedule on all fronts. The Sheikh Khalifa Charity Foundation has provided funds for all infrastructure projects.

SOS English on Vimeo


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## Nishan_101

A.Rafay said:


> *Dual track between Lahore, Karachi to be laid by March, LCCI told*
> 
> LAHORE: The dual track between Lahore and Karachi will be completed by March 2013 while two more trains under public-private partnership are being started soon.
> 
> This was stated by General Manager Operations Pakistan Railways Junaid Qureshi while speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Thursday.
> 
> Junaid Qureshi maintained that not a single locomotive has been added to railways fleet since 2008. He added that the Pak Railways is ready to provide track facility to private sector if it wants to run own locomotives. He said that Track Access Policy is likely to be finalized as a meeting to this regard is being held on Friday.
> 
> About trade with India, he said that the Pak railways is willing to enhance free day demurrage period from existing 24 hours to 48 hours. He said that the railways is fast heading towards revival as a number of steps are being taken to turn it into a profitable institution. He said that the Railways earned Rs 650 million more than what it earned last year.
> 
> He said that fuel and utility bills are eating up a bigger portion of federal government funding to railways. He said that since 1995 the fuel prices registered a surge of 800 per cent while railways made a raise of 105 per cent of freight train fares and 70 per cent in the fares of Passenger trains.
> 
> The GM agreed that Mughalpura Dryport needs uplift on urgent basis and would be done at the earliest to facilitate the businessmen and enhance traffic.
> 
> Speaking on the occasion, the LCCI President Farooq Iftikhar said that the business community is very much concerned with the present state of Pakistan Railways. Although many public sector enterprises are deteriorating due to poor performance and bad governance, but railways is one of the crucial sectors that affects the business community directly.
> 
> The LCCI President said that the political interference coupled with poor maintenance of tracks, locomotives, coaches, bridges and mismanagement at a wide scale are the major causes of failure of Pakistan Railways.
> 
> He urged the top management of railways to take immediate steps for improving the deteriorating situation. He stressed the need for Central Traffic Control system to avoid accidents and also improve the efficiency of trains.
> 
> The LCCI President said that the element of corruption either in the form of financial mismanagement in purchases or by way of not delivering the services with honesty and dedication is the main cause of this crisis in Railways. In 2003, Pakistan Railways purchased 69 completely built locomotives from China and in less than a decade almost 32 of these have been scrapped.
> 
> He said that Pakistan Railways has been left with a fleet of around 100 locomotives to run its entire operation, including 200 train and freight services. Shortage of over 400 locomotives will surely lead to further breakdowns of power vans in midways.
> 
> The LCCI former Vice President Aftab Ahmad Vohra and Executive Committee Member Amjad Chaudhry said that the railway authorities are providing facilities to Prem Nagar Dry port while ignoring the Lahore Dry Port, which is under its own possession and control.
> 
> Dual track between Lahore, Karachi to be laid by March, LCCI told



Pakistan Govt. should privatize the railways by selling 21% shares in Stock Market and 49% to those Pakistanis who can manage the railways well and keep 30% share on it as to gain some profit from it.... I am sure this can change the whole railways as well as PIA too...

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## Safriz

Pakistan voids gold, copper lease held by Barrick consortium ISLAMABAD  AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Last updated Monday, Jan. 07 2013, 8:44 AM EST A man walks past the Supreme Court building in Islamabad on July 12, 2012. (FAISAL
MAHMOOD /REUTERS) Pakistans top court on Monday declared invalid a lease for one of the worlds richest
deposits of gold and copper held by a Canadian-Chilean consortium that includes
Vancouver-based giant Barrick Gold Corp. Barrick, the worlds largest gold producer, and Chiles Antofagasta Minerals, each own a
37.5-per-cent share, as the Tethyan Copper Company, in the largest Foreign Direct
Investment mining project in Pakistan. precious metals Wooing shareholders back to gold mining precious metals Gold producers need to stop piling on debt, S&P
warns Canadian miners innovative undersea project halted in Papua New
Guinea Their plan was to build and operate a copper and gold open-pit mine at Reko Diq in the
Chagai district of the southwestern province Baluchistan, the most deprived part of
Pakistan, rife with Taliban, sectarian and separatist violence. Barrick and Antofagasta say the proposed plant could produce 600,000 tons of copper
and 250,000 ounces of gold a year, but in 2011 work came to a standstill after the local
government refused to renew the consortiums mining lease. The provincial government in Baluchistan is also the sleeping partner in the Reko Diq
project with a 25-per-cent stake. Reasons for the dispute are murky, but some analysts suggest that China, a close
Pakistan ally, is also interested in the deposits. Pakistans Supreme Court on Monday declared not valid the initial 1993 exploration
agreement between the Baluchistan government and Australian mining group BHP,
since BHP Billiton Ltd. It said the agreement ran counter to Pakistans mineral development act and mining
concession rules, and therefore to transfer it to the Canadian-Chilean consortium is also
illegal, void and non est. Experts say mining in Baluchistan is dominated by small companies focused primarily on
marble and granite, which waste up to 80 per cent of mined minerals because of poor
blasting techniques. They also call for more transparent polices to allow business to flourish.

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## BATMAN

Now Talibans are in Rekodik¿
Most likelgovt and Dawn of judiciary need re-negotiate .


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## Gentelman

Federal Minister for
Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh
invited the General Electric Company
(GE) to invest in Pakistan particularly
in sectors where it had global expertise
like aviation, transport, railways,
energy and alternate energy.
General Electric Company Vice
Chairman John Rice expressed keen
interest for investment in various
sectors in Pakistan particularly
supplying locomotives to Pakistan
Railways and set up a wind energy
projects in the country while
exploring other investment
opportunities.
Shaikh said that Pakistan offered a
favourable environment for foreign
investment and assured full support
and facilitation of the government
for investment by the Fortune 500
company.
GEs vice chairman Rice expressed
his gratitude to the Government of
Pakistan for providing attractive
opportunities for foreign investment
in the country. He thanked finance
minister Shaikh for his continuous
support to the private sector
businesses and attracting
investment by guiding foreign
investors.
Rice appreciated the policies of the
Ministry of Finance in promoting a
business-friendly environment.
GE is a US-based multinational
conglomerate corporation and
operates through four segments:
Energy, Technology Infrastructure,
Capital Finance and Consumer and
Industrial. In 2011, GE ranked
among the Fortune 500 as the sixth-
largest firm in the US by gross
revenue, as well as the 14th most
profitable.


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## fatman17

*Pakistan-Mining and Quarrying* 



Through the 1980s, development of mining was discouraged by the absence of venture capital and the limited demand for many minerals from domestic industries. The slow development of mining was due in part to the remoteness of the areas where most minerals are found, which adds greatly to the costs of exploration, production, and transportation. Moreover, some of these areas have a poor reputation for law and order. By the early 1990s, mining was of little importance to the economy, despite the presence of fairly extensive mineral resources. Foreign companies have been invited to bid for concessions for mineral extraction. 

Minerals include antimony, bauxite, chromite, copper, gypsum, iron ore, limestone, magnesite, marble, molybdenum, rock salt, and sulfur. Much of the mineral wealth is found in Balochistan. In FY 1992, mineral production included 8.5 million tons of limestone, 833,000 tons of rock salt, 471,000 tons of gypsum, and 6,333 tons of magnesite. Some iron-ore deposits are of good enough quality for use in the country's steel plant, but in FY 1992 production was only 937,000 tons. 

The Saindak Integrated Mineral Project, managed by the stateowned Resource Development Corporation, was developed in the 1980s and early 1990s, but in 1993 there were as yet few results. Located in Balochistan, the project area contains three separate *large deposits* of copper ore, gold, iron ore, molybdenum, silver, and sulfur.

what are we doing about these resources - nil / nada / zilch


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## Edevelop

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Punjab government and German company AEG for cooperation in solar energy sector a few moments ago. German Power Generation Company AEG will invest 1billion dollar for 400MW solar energy projects in Punjab, said the CM while addressing a press conference after the MoU was signed. 50 to 100 megawatt solar energy projects will be set up in Cholistan and groundbreaking ceremony in this regard will be held soon. These projects will start functioning by June 2013 inshaaAllah, remarked the CM. CM Shahbaz Sharif also said that there are vast opportunities of investment in hydropower projects in Punjab as well as a great potential of investment in coal and solar power projects and he is glad that German company is investing around 100billion rupees here in Punjab on solar projects. Another MoU was signed with Austrian Company Andritz Hydro which aims at generating 300MW through Windmill and Hydropower. 
*I have brought foreign investment in Punjab to cope with energy crisis but the sovereign guarantee is yet to be provided by the Federal Govt.* as per law and I hope they dont create any hurdle in these power generation projects. It is the credibility of my govt. that these companies are investing in Punjab Alhumdulillah, said the CM


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## BATMAN

AEG to install 450MW of PV capacity in Pakistan - PV-Tech


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## ziaulislam

18 rs/unit for solar power..will this solve our problem..answer is a very big no...we need hydro power with 6rs/units for private investment and 1 unit if govt does investment that can be brought online within 5 years..
for short term we need coal converstion that will give 6rs/ units for local coal(which isnt ready thnx to zardari) and coal importd (10-12 rs/unit)

our policy makers are pure idiots..even the biggest econmies(like india and china) are not going for solar due too much due to cost(instaead relying on coal) otherwise all of govt would have signed the document to decrease CO2 out put /green house gases..!!!!!


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## fatman17

Thursday, February 28, 2013 



*NESPAK wins $500m Afghan dam project*


LAHORE: NESPAK a state organisation of consulting engineers has achieved a breakthrough by securing a dam project in Afghanistan. According to a press release on Wednesday, NESPAK is the first Pakistani firm, which would design the dam on the Farah River in Bakhshabad. The representatives of the Ministry of Water and Energy government of Afghanistan and NESPAK signed the contract agreement of the project. The $500 million Bakhshabad (Farah Rud) Dam Project consists of a dam, a powerhouse, appurtenant structures, a barrage 60 kilometers downstream of the Dam, left and right main irrigation canals and irrigation command area. NESPAK will provide services for detailed design, tender drawings and preparation of bidding documents. The Ministry of Water and Energy Afghanistan has termed the project as the first of its kind by a Pakistani company in Afghanistan. The dam will be financed by the Afghan government funds, once completed the project is expected to meet all the irrigation and energy needs of Farah province. The Dam&#8217;s storage capacity will be more than one billion cubic meters. At the same time, it can irrigate more than 68,000 acres of agricultural land and produce about 27 megawatts of electricity, which can meet the electricity needs of Farah province, said Muhammad Ismail Khan Minister of Energy and Water Afghanistan. It is a great honour for Pakistan NESPAK has won this mega project through an international open competition, which shows Company&#8217;s recognition as a world-class consultant, not only in Pakistan but abroad as well. About 545 large, medium and small dams will be built or refurbished across Afghanistan. About 111 of these dams are a priority for the Ministry. staff report


WoW!

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## fatman17

*Indus Motors to manufacture Fortuner locally*

28 February, 2013 



KARACHI: The Indus Motor Company (IMC) has announced that the company's new locally assembled Fortuner will be launched on March 8, 2013 in Pakistan. 

KARACHI: The Indus Motor Company (IMC) has announced that the company's new locally assembled Fortuner will be launched on March 8, 2013 in Pakistan. The new sport utility vehicle (SUV) price would be around Rs 5.2 million, this was revealed in Toyota's briefing with analysts. 

Although imported Fortuner is already available in Pakistan as IMC started importing the Fortuner in 2009 but for the first time Toyota assembled it locally and it would be available in the first week of March 2013, according to an analyst.

The locally-assembled SUV will be 37 percent cheaper than the imported Fortuner as the local one costs Rs 5.2 million while the imported one is for Rs 8.2 million.

The specifications of new Pakistani Fortuner 2013 are 2.7 Vvtipower seats, leather seats, alloy rims, DVD, NAV, BVC, wooden panels, fog lamps and multimedia steering. IMC has started booking for the new SUV.

It is pertinent to mention here that Toyota has already launched a five-speed automatic version of the Fortuner SUV in India for around 2.2 million rupees this January. In Thailand where it is most popular, the Fortuner SUV is offered with two diesel engines, a 3.0-liter unit producing 163HP and a 2.5-litre delivering 144-horses, and a 2.7-litre gasoline unit rated at 160-horsepower.

Moreover, IMC anticipated sales of 2,000 units of Fortuner in the year, management has planned capital expenditure of Rs 6 billion in fiscal year 2013-14 with the yearly ratio of 30-70 percent, respectively. The planned capital expenditure is mainly on account of Toyota Corolla's new model launch, said an analyst.

IMC will not expand their production capacity in near future as company is meeting demand and supply of Corolla car in manufactured in Pakistan, current capacity remains 100 percent, analyst further said.

Management of IMC told analysts that automakers in Pakistan are willing to have two way trades with India and in this regard government of Pakistan and automakers of Pakistan jointly have put into words to government of Japan to enforce the two way trade with India.

IMC management continued to pose influx of imported car as a threat. In this regard, as of December 2012, approximately 80,000 units of cars were imported in first half of fiscal year 2012-13.Given that, and along with the current inventory situation of used cars (approximately 20,000-25,000), the magnified impact of the Economic Coordination Committee's (ECC) decision of reduction in the age limit to three years would be evident in FY14, IMC told the analysts.

The IMC's other income declined significantly by 48 percent on yearly basis. This decline was mainly due to lower interest income on cash deposits, along with the lower advances from customers due to depressed sales by the company during first half of FY13, the analyst added.

Highlight :

Imported Rs 8.2m

Local Rs 5.2m

Difference 37%

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## Argus Panoptes

fatman17 said:


> Indus Motors to *manufacture *Fortuner locally
> 
> 28 February, 2013
> 
> 
> 
> KARACHI: The Indus Motor Company (IMC) has announced that the company's new locally *assembled *Fortuner will be launched on March 8, 2013 in Pakistan.
> 
> KARACHI: The Indus Motor Company (IMC) has announced that the company's new locally *assembled *Fortuner will be launched on March 8, 2013 in Pakistan. The new sport utility vehicle (SUV) price would be around Rs 5.2 million, this was revealed in Toyota's briefing with analysts...........................
> 
> Highlight :
> 
> Imported Rs 8.2m
> 
> Local Rs 5.2m
> 
> Difference 37%



The title says the Fortuner will be "manufactured". The report says it will be "assembled". That is an important difference. Which one is true?


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## RazorMC

Argus Panoptes said:


> The title says the Fortuner will be "manufactured". The report says it will be "assembled". That is an important difference. Which one is true?




Assembly is the right word. True manufacturing is out of the question as long as our administration keeps it eyes shut to the rest of the world's progress.

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## Argus Panoptes

RazorMC said:


> Assembly is the right word. True manufacturing is out of the question as long as our administration keeps it eyes shut to the rest of the world's progress.



So the headline is misleadingly incorrect. Why do we claim to manufacture something we clearly do not?


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## RazorMC

Argus Panoptes said:


> So the headline is misleadingly incorrect. Why do we claim to manufacture something we clearly do not?




"Manufacturing" sells a lot more news than another "assembled" car.
Blame the media 

On a serious note though, our manufacturing industry is still poorly developed despite 6 decades of independence.
Shifting our attention away from agriculture/textile towards manufactured goods/electronics will have a much better effect on the economy IMO.


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## darkinsky

assembly is no big deal...........


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## Edevelop

fatman17 said:


> Thursday, February 28, 2013
> 
> 
> 
> *NESPAK wins $500m Afghan dam project*
> 
> 
> LAHORE: NESPAK a state organisation of consulting engineers has achieved a breakthrough by securing a dam project in Afghanistan. According to a press release on Wednesday, NESPAK is the first Pakistani firm, which would design the dam on the Farah River in Bakhshabad. The representatives of the Ministry of Water and Energy government of Afghanistan and NESPAK signed the contract agreement of the project. The $500 million Bakhshabad (Farah Rud) Dam Project consists of a dam, a powerhouse, appurtenant structures, a barrage 60 kilometers downstream of the Dam, left and right main irrigation canals and irrigation command area. NESPAK will provide services for detailed design, tender drawings and preparation of bidding documents. The Ministry of Water and Energy Afghanistan has termed the project as the first of its kind by a Pakistani company in Afghanistan. The dam will be financed by the Afghan government funds, once completed the project is expected to meet all the irrigation and energy needs of Farah province. The Dams storage capacity will be more than one billion cubic meters. At the same time, it can irrigate more than 68,000 acres of agricultural land and produce about 27 megawatts of electricity, which can meet the electricity needs of Farah province, said Muhammad Ismail Khan Minister of Energy and Water Afghanistan. It is a great honour for Pakistan NESPAK has won this mega project through an international open competition, which shows Companys recognition as a world-class consultant, not only in Pakistan but abroad as well. About 545 large, medium and small dams will be built or refurbished across Afghanistan. About 111 of these dams are a priority for the Ministry. staff report
> 
> 
> WoW!



Great to hear !

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## Jango

Everybody, quick see Geo news....press conference of Malik Riaz and a US investor coming live...Bahria Town and the US company will construct a offshore island 3 km away from the shore of Karachi...to be named as Buddha Island city. Kind of like the Dubai Palm Jumeirah.

Let's see what becomes of this project. Let's hope it doesn't turn out to be like the Karachi tower! 

It certainly has credibility since a press conference is live.


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## Sugarcane

nuclearpak said:


> Everybody, quick see Geo news....press conference of Malik Riaz and a US investor coming live...Bahria Town and the US company will construct a offshore island 3 km away from the shore of Karachi...to be named as Buddha Island city. Kind of like the Dubai Palm Jumeirah.
> 
> Let's see what becomes of this project. Let's hope it doesn't turn out to be like the Karachi tower!
> 
> It certainly has credibility since a press conference is live.



Bhai - Malik Riaz ki koi credibility bachi hai????


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## Jango

Geo News Live | Geo Tv Live | Watch Geo News | Live Geo Streaming



LoveIcon said:


> Bhai - Malik Riaz ki koi credibility bachi hai????



It's a live press conference...the US investor is present there and all. THe contract is being signed now...let me get some more info on the investor.

As for the tallest tower thing with the UAE company...that was definitely hijacked by politicians.

Other than politics, I am a fan of Malik Riaz. He has brought some pretty fantastic developments in the country and made some good projects. There ain't no place like Bahria town in Pakistan at the moment IMO.


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## Jango

Thomas Kramer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is the guy who was there.

TBH, his portfolio doesn't look too promising.


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## Sugarcane

@nuclearpak - bro that's MoU not contract, even you can sign a MoU of this kind if you have some links.


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## Jango

LoveIcon said:


> @nuclearpak - bro that's MoU not contract, even you can sign a MoU of this kind if you have some links.



Atleast this shows that Bahria Town is after something.


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## Sugarcane

nuclearpak said:


> Atleast this shows that Bahria Town is after something.



IMHO - Bahria Town is not after something, apparently Malik Riaz want to jump into international waters and play roles in bigger dramas like memo case.


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## Jango

LoveIcon said:


> IMHO - Bahria Town is not after something, apparently Malik Riaz want to jump into international waters and play roles in bigger dramas like memo case.



TBH...I don't see a link b/w his real estate ventures and political scandals...unless he wants to buy some land or a contract, he doesn't mingle real estate with politicians.

Otherwise, he is always present as a right hand man for Rehman Baba and King Zardari.


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## Al Bhatti

June 22, 2013







The opening ceremony of the over $38 million road was attended by a number of local ministers, senior Pakistani army officers, other senior officials, a number of tribal chiefs, citizens and members of the Programme



Shaikh Khalifa Road opened in south Waziristan

Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Road in south Waziristan area cost over $38m

Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Road in south Waziristan in Pakistan was inaugurated on Friday by General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, the Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, accompanied by UAE Ambassador to Pakistan, Eisa Abdullah Al Basha Al Nuaimi, and Director of the UAE Assistance Programme to Pakistan Abdullah Khalifa Al Gafli,

The move follows directives by President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to support and implement developmental projects in Pakistan.

The opening ceremony of the over $38 million road was attended by a number of local ministers, senior Pakistani army officers, other senior officials, a number of tribal chiefs, citizens and members of the Programme.

Al Gafli said the UAE-Pakistan relations are characterised by a spirit of solidarity, fraternity and mutual respect, adding that the inauguration of the road reflects a long history of solidarity and cohesion between the UAE leaders and the people of Pakistan.

He cited the initiatives and efforts of Shaikh Khalifa to provide developmental assistance to Pakistani people in all fields.

Al Gafli said the road is strategic as it connects Pakistan and Afghanistan with central Asian countries, noting that it would ease trade exchange for local people. The road shortens the distance between Karachi and Kabul by 400km.

He referred to continuous support to the Programme by General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

Regarding the role of the Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Humanitarian Foundation, Al Gafli said the Foundation plays a pivotal role in financing the roads and bridges being implemented by the UAE Assistance Programme to Pakistan. He noted that the Foundation funded the Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Bridge on Swat River, which was opened last year and the Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Road.

Al Gafli said the total amount offered by the Foundation for the road and bridge projects in Pakistan was $60.9 million.

Shaikh Khalifa Road opened in south Waziristan | GulfNews.com

http://www.defence.pk/forums/econom...road-opened-south-waziristan.html#post4440249

http://www.uaepap.org/node/13236

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## Kompromat



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## Al Bhatti

In a certain city in USA if you find a pithole you just have to take a photo of it on your smart phone and through a municipality app send it to them. The municipality will recieve the picture along with cordinates and within 7 days they repair the pit hole.

In Tokyo the public will be moving around for years and will not find a single pit hole. In Tokyo the municipality personals move around searching for pit holes. They have a certain number of vehicles which cover the entire Tokyo in a certain number of days every month and they go on like this 365 days. And as soon as they find a pit hole on the road or on the pavements they fix it then and there.

Also they have a special vehicle with latest laser technology which scans the road and searches for defect in the roads before they transform into a pit hole. This "new technology is being used since twenty years and before that they used to scan the roads using special cameras.

See the attached video:






I wish to see this in Pakistan.

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## MM_Haider

*KP to establish two modern mega cities*

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is going to establish two mega cities, including one along Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway near Colonel Sher Khan Interchange and the other at Abbottabad, which would have all modern facilities.

Chairing a meeting of officials of provincial housing department at his office on Tuesday, he said that it was the vision of PTI chairman Imran Khan to provide modern residential facilities to people of the province at affordable prices.

Secretary housing department briefed the participants on various aspects of the mega city projects.

The project of a proposed mega city on M-1 will be completed at an estimated cost of Rs45.8 billion over 45,000 kanals. This city will have modern civic facilities, including education complex, medical complex, five-star hotel, commercial zone, police station, mosques, apartments, golf course, theme parks, petrol/CNG stations, playgrounds, green belts, wide roads, electricity, Sui gas etc. It will serve a population of over 602,130.

Speaking at the meeting, the chief minister directed the authorities concerned to prepare the final plan of this important project within 15 days so that it could be approved formally.

He said that the proposed mega city would be the first of its kind in the province and country. The meeting was informed that because of its unique and important location the mega city would become a hub of commercial and business activities. Public-private partnership or any other feasible mode of implementation will be adopted for the project.

Mr Khattak asked the authorities of housing department to take necessary steps for acquisition of land for the mega city at Abbottabad.

Special assistant to the CM on housing department Amjad Afridi, additional chief secretary planning and development Khalid Pervez, additional chief secretary finance Sahibzada Saeed, secretary housing Zahid Arif, in-charge investment cell Rafaqullah Babar, deputy commissioner Nowshera and other authorities concerned attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, the chief minister inaugurated the monsoon tree plantation campaign 2013 by planting a sapling at the lawns of CM House, Peshawar.

Provincial senior minister Sirajul Haq, secretary environment Saeed Badshah, chief conservator forest and other relevant officials were also present on the occasion.

KP to establish two modern mega cities - DAWN.COM


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## ziaulislam

MM_Haider said:


> *KP to establish two modern mega cities*
> 
> PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is going to establish two mega cities, including one along Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway near Colonel Sher Khan Interchange and the other at Abbottabad, which would have all modern facilities.
> 
> Chairing a meeting of officials of provincial housing department at his office on Tuesday, he said that it was the vision of PTI chairman Imran Khan to provide modern residential facilities to people of the province at affordable prices.
> 
> Secretary housing department briefed the participants on various aspects of the mega city projects.
> 
> The project of a proposed mega city on M-1 will be completed at an estimated cost of Rs45.8 billion over 45,000 kanals. This city will have modern civic facilities, including education complex, medical complex, five-star hotel, commercial zone, police station, mosques, apartments, golf course, theme parks, petrol/CNG stations, playgrounds, green belts, wide roads, electricity, Sui gas etc. It will serve a population of over 602,130.
> 
> Speaking at the meeting, the chief minister directed the authorities concerned to prepare the final plan of this important project within 15 days so that it could be approved formally.
> 
> He said that the proposed mega city would be the first of its kind in the province and country. The meeting was informed that because of its unique and important location the mega city would become a hub of commercial and business activities. Public-private partnership or any other feasible mode of implementation will be adopted for the project.
> 
> Mr Khattak asked the authorities of housing department to take necessary steps for acquisition of land for the mega city at Abbottabad.
> 
> Special assistant to the CM on housing department Amjad Afridi, additional chief secretary planning and development Khalid Pervez, additional chief secretary finance Sahibzada Saeed, secretary housing Zahid Arif, in-charge investment cell Rafaqullah Babar, deputy commissioner Nowshera and other authorities concerned attended the meeting.
> 
> Meanwhile, the chief minister inaugurated the monsoon tree plantation campaign 2013 by planting a sapling at the lawns of CM House, Peshawar.
> 
> Provincial senior minister Sirajul Haq, secretary environment Saeed Badshah, chief conservator forest and other relevant officials were also present on the occasion.
> 
> KP to establish two modern mega cities - DAWN.COM


if this is the mentality of PTI, they will certainly be destroyed in next election..people of KPK are not idiots though KPk politicans are usually idiots

What they need is to spend this money on district head quaters giving quality health education and jobs..
this would stop migration to cities and help development..
once people do get the basic necessities at district level then u might go on to spends billions on newer cities


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## MM_Haider

ziaulislam said:


> if this is the mentality of PTI, they will certainly be destroyed in next election..people of KPK are not idiots though KPk politicans are usually idiots
> 
> What they need is to spend this money on district head quaters giving quality health education and jobs..
> this would stop migration to cities and help development..
> once people do get the basic necessities at district level then u might go on to spends billions on newer cities



The reason being is to reduce the pressure on Abbotabad and increase tourism..


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## ziaulislam

MM_Haider said:


> The reason being is to reduce the pressure on Abbotabad and increase tourism..


they can develop manshera, haripur and tons of other districts ..its stupid to build new cities that costs billions..
i am doctor and hospitals are in pathetic situation..in poor countries they are much more health facilities in an ambulance then we get here in tertiary care hospitals
with 40 billion they can improve all hospitals to an acceptable level
they can build 6-7 universities
they change all the schools
they can build 1000mw hydro projects enough for all electricity of the province (our requirement of KPK iss just about 2000mw)..
its all about prioritizing ..what to do 1ST
..they are getting their priorities wrong
we have the worst education and health status in the world..

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## Al Bhatti

September 1, 2013

UAE to offer Dh367m grant to Pakistan

Abu Dhabi Fund for Development signs MoU with UAE Project to Assist Pakistan

Acting on directives from President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UAE Project to Assist Pakistan, whereby it presents a grant worth Dh367 million ($100 million) to fund development projects in Pakistan.

The MoU was signed by Mohammad Saif Al Suwaidi, Acting Director General of ADFD, and Abdullah Al Gafli, Director General of the UAE Project to Assist Pakistan, in the presence of a number of officials.

The grant will fund three vital development projects to bolster the transport, education and health sectors.

Al Suwaidi said, &#8220;The grant, which is under direct follow up by the UAE&#8217;s prudent leadership, reflects the UAE government&#8217;s interest in extending a helping hand to developing countries across the world in order to contribute to efforts to alleviate their suffering. The UAE is interested in being an effective partner in effective development projects, in particular in the infrastructure sector which is a pillar of economic and social development and the solid foundation of growth and prosperity of societies.&#8221;

The grant includes Dh223 million to fund the construction of Makeen-Miranshah Road, which will link South Waziristan with North Waziristan running though three cities and 20 villages. The project will also include the construction of 10 bridges spanning.

Dh92 million will be used to fund the second phase of the 1,000-bed UAE Specialist Hospital in Islamabad, one of the biggest health-care projects under construction in Pakistan. When completed, the hospital will be able to serve 6,000 outpatients a day.

Dh46 million of the grant will be used to build three vocational colleges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

For his part, Al Gafli said the agreement with ADFD will boost the UAE&#8217;s humanitarian efforts in Paksitan under the directives of the wise leadership of Shaikh Khalifa, and General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. The efforts are followed up by Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development.

He affirmed that the grant will boost sustainable development and economic growth in Pakistan.

ADFD started its activity in Pakistan in 1981 when it provided a loan worth more than Dh66 million to fund the building of Tarbela Dam on the River Indus to boost Pakistan&#8217;s electricity sector. 

UAE to offer Dh367m grant to Pakistan | GulfNews.com

http://www.defence.pk/forums/econom...-offer-dh367m-grant-pakistan.html#post4719176

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## Black Eagle 90

Al Bhatti said:


> September 1, 2013
> 
> UAE to offer Dh367m grant to Pakistan
> 
> Abu Dhabi Fund for Development signs MoU with UAE Project to Assist Pakistan
> 
> Acting on directives from President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UAE Project to Assist Pakistan, whereby it presents a grant worth Dh367 million ($100 million) to fund development projects in Pakistan.
> 
> The MoU was signed by Mohammad Saif Al Suwaidi, Acting Director General of ADFD, and Abdullah Al Gafli, Director General of the UAE Project to Assist Pakistan, in the presence of a number of officials.
> 
> The grant will fund three vital development projects to bolster the transport, education and health sectors.
> 
> Al Suwaidi said, &#8220;The grant, which is under direct follow up by the UAE&#8217;s prudent leadership, reflects the UAE government&#8217;s interest in extending a helping hand to developing countries across the world in order to contribute to efforts to alleviate their suffering. The UAE is interested in being an effective partner in effective development projects, in particular in the infrastructure sector which is a pillar of economic and social development and the solid foundation of growth and prosperity of societies.&#8221;
> 
> The grant includes Dh223 million to fund the construction of Makeen-Miranshah Road, which will link South Waziristan with North Waziristan running though three cities and 20 villages. The project will also include the construction of 10 bridges spanning.
> 
> Dh92 million will be used to fund the second phase of the 1,000-bed UAE Specialist Hospital in Islamabad, one of the biggest health-care projects under construction in Pakistan. When completed, the hospital will be able to serve 6,000 outpatients a day.
> 
> Dh46 million of the grant will be used to build three vocational colleges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
> 
> For his part, Al Gafli said the agreement with ADFD will boost the UAE&#8217;s humanitarian efforts in Paksitan under the directives of the wise leadership of Shaikh Khalifa, and General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. The efforts are followed up by Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development.
> 
> He affirmed that the grant will boost sustainable development and economic growth in Pakistan.
> 
> ADFD started its activity in Pakistan in 1981 when it provided a loan worth more than Dh66 million to fund the building of Tarbela Dam on the River Indus to boost Pakistan&#8217;s electricity sector.
> 
> UAE to offer Dh367m grant to Pakistan | GulfNews.com
> 
> http://www.defence.pk/forums/econom...-offer-dh367m-grant-pakistan.html#post4719176



Instead of grant, UAE should be welcomed to invest in Dams


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## Panther 57

Black Eagle 90 said:


> Instead of grant, UAE should be welcomed to invest in Dams



Have we ever thought what is the interest of UAE in giving Pakistan grants? One one hand they prefer Indian, chinese and Filipino workers over Pakistanis and on other hand they want to give grant. UAE is purely a commercial state and does not believe in doling out free lunches. Pakistan should ask itself a question, WHY?

Reactions: Positive Rating Positive Rating:
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## Al Bhatti

*More details:

*Sep 2, 2013 

US$100 million gift for UAE-backed projects in Pakistan

UAE-funded projects in Pakistan received another boost as an additional US$100 million (Dh367m) was granted for health care, education and road projects.

The money, given by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, was passed to the UAE projects in Pakistan team during a signing ceremony in Abu Dhabi yesterday.

Since 2011, the team has been working on the ground with a total of $162m from the fund, building 43 schools, 10 universities and colleges, seven hospitals and clinics, a nursing institute and a number of roads and bridges.

The first phase of completion has been set for the end of this year, with many projects finishing earlier than expected.
The bulk of the money signed off on yesterday - Dh223m - will be used to complete the building of roads and bridges, two of which were destroyed during the 2010 floods.

"The grant from Sheikh Khalifa was to rebuild the bridges up to the highest standards, able to withstand any natural disaster," said Abdullah Al Ghaffli, head of UAE projects in Pakistan. "We also opened a new border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan, it is already in use. There was no link between the two borders before."

The Makeen-Miranshah road, linking South and North Waziristan, including three major cities and 20 villages, will be the first paved road in the region, the fund said.

About Dh46m will be pumped into the education sector with three vocational colleges coming soon. The 1,000-bed Emirate Hospital in Islamabad, the largest hospital in the country, will receive Dh92m for completion. Once finished, it will cater to 6,000 walk-in patients a day.

Mr Al Ghaffli said a refurbished educational institute and hospital will be ready for handover as early as next week.

"Schools that were in the form of tents and house rooftops are buildings now," he said. "Fully furnished and complete with a computer lab. This has opened the door for pupils to get educated and learn new skills. This has also helped to encourage parents to enrol their children in schools."

He said a problem before was the need to travel long distances on rocky roads to get to a school. With so many new schools being built, pupils now have better access.

Currently, the 43 UAE-funded schools cater to 30,000 pupils from across the country. "And provided pupils with all they would need, including school bags," said Mr Al Ghaffli. "These projects led to the opportunity for community development, helping families get higher income and helping people fight poverty - to see a dream turn into a reality."

About Dh60m from the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation has been spent this year and last year to provide food to 63,000 families, most of them internally displaced. The total amount the fund has spent on projects in Pakistan is Dh1 billion.
"Relations with Pakistan go back to 1981," said Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, ADFD's acting general manager. "We still have an additional $130m to spend on projects in Pakistan. We first study proposals, extensively research. We let countries present what they want and evaluate how these projects will help people and the country's economy."

Mr Al Suwaidi said the fund preferred to work on projects such as roads, electricity and water, education and health care. Its first project in Afghanistan was Tarbela Dam. The fund provided a loan of Dh66m and the dam has helped provide residents with electricity.

US$100 million gift for UAE-backed projects in Pakistan - The National


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## HariPrasad

It seems that Pakistanis have a lots of dreams like we Indians. Make sure that they become reality and not Hijacked in between by any other internal or external factors.

I wish Pakistan a best of luck!!!!!!!!!

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## patentneer

Same here, Pak. should find one item, like the Japanese with watches, Hong-Kong with plastic flowers, Korea did with nail-cutters, China's low cost assembling, Bangaldesh's textile manufacturing or India steel and IT; and run with it.


 $ 100 Million Dubai gift is plain insulting and degrading.
Pak. better un-lock it's coal, oil and gas energy potential fast because the US's shale oil and gas boom plus China's and India's unbridled hybrid and electric power thrust threatens to turn the petrodollar world upside down in a mere 5-10 yrs. In this scenario, Pak.'s will be subject to India's vast buying power, and that too briefly. India is shifting its giant energy needs to its new found mega gas finds in Gujarat, Rajasthan and specially the Bay of Bengal. With US, Canada and Brazil turning energy exporters, EU going nuclear, solar and renewable and slowing, China also slowing and India shifting to gas; Pak.'s entry to the energy market will be sadly late. Perhaps Pak can find a market in growing Indonesia  .

Oz is coming online as a mega energy exporter re: coal, uranium and gas. Same with Kazakhstan, and other new Central Asian countries. Also grwong Angola, Nigeria, Sudan and other smaller countries.

Pakistan's growth is important to India because nothing gets India's goat more than a booming Pakistan. Pak wake-up.


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## Abingdonboy

http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/201...3/06/02/comment/columns/a-tale-of-two-metros/


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## quang minh

The purpose of introducing new offices is to simplify the tax officials working by separating the corporate and non-corporate cases.


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## HariPrasad

Al Bhatti said:


> June 22, 2013
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The opening ceremony of the over $38 million road was attended by a number of local ministers, senior Pakistani army officers, other senior officials, a number of tribal chiefs, citizens and members of the Programme
> 
> 
> 
> Shaikh Khalifa Road opened in south Waziristan
> 
> Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Road in south Waziristan area cost over $38m
> 
> Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Road in south Waziristan in Pakistan was inaugurated on Friday by General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, the Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, accompanied by UAE Ambassador to Pakistan, Eisa Abdullah Al Basha Al Nuaimi, and Director of the UAE Assistance Programme to Pakistan Abdullah Khalifa Al Gafli,
> 
> The move follows directives by President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to support and implement developmental projects in Pakistan.
> 
> The opening ceremony of the over $38 million road was attended by a number of local ministers, senior Pakistani army officers, other senior officials, a number of tribal chiefs, citizens and members of the Programme.
> 
> Al Gafli said the UAE-Pakistan relations are characterised by a spirit of solidarity, fraternity and mutual respect, adding that the inauguration of the road reflects a long history of solidarity and cohesion between the UAE leaders and the people of Pakistan.
> 
> He cited the initiatives and efforts of Shaikh Khalifa to provide developmental assistance to Pakistani people in all fields.
> 
> Al Gafli said the road is strategic as it connects Pakistan and Afghanistan with central Asian countries, noting that it would ease trade exchange for local people. The road shortens the distance between Karachi and Kabul by 400km.
> 
> He referred to continuous support to the Programme by General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.
> 
> Regarding the role of the Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Humanitarian Foundation, Al Gafli said the Foundation plays a pivotal role in financing the roads and bridges being implemented by the UAE Assistance Programme to Pakistan. He noted that the Foundation funded the Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Bridge on Swat River, which was opened last year and the Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Road.
> 
> Al Gafli said the total amount offered by the Foundation for the road and bridge projects in Pakistan was $60.9 million.
> 
> Shaikh Khalifa Road opened in south Waziristan | GulfNews.com
> 
> Shaikh Khalifa Road opened in south Waziristan
> 
> UAE PAP | UAE Pakistan Assistance Program



Why am i seeing the picture of an arab gentleman high way of Pakistan?

Reactions: Like Like:
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## Pakistani E

HariPrasad said:


> Why am i seeing the picture of an arab gentleman high way of Pakistan?



Because he provided funds for the project.

Reactions: Like Like:
1


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## CHARGER

Western Bank Bypass, Muzaffarabad


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## OTTOMAN

KSA provides $1mn grant for renovation of Faisal Mosque

Speaking on the occasion, Jassim Al-Khalidi said Faisal Mosque is a symbol of strong and long-lasting brotherly relations among Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

While lauding the role of IIUI, he said that it was serving the Muslim Ummah in true words. He reiterated his resolve that KSA government would keep cooperation in the projects which relate to the welfare and prosperity of Muslim Ummah.

Dr. Masoom Yasinzai said that Faisal Mosque is a unique and exemplary gift from KSA to the people of Pakistan.

He said that the Mosque has become recognition of Pakistan which attracts the local and foreign visitors.


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## Woz Ahmed

Argus Panoptes said:


> The title says the Fortuner will be "manufactured". The report says it will be "assembled". That is an important difference. Which one is true?


assembled


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## Viper0011.

HariPrasad said:


> Why am i seeing the picture of an arab gentleman high way of Pakistan?



Its like when you go to large projects in the US, you see pictures and bio of people who donated the money. For example, NYU's Stern School of Business, Sloan School of Business / Management (MIT), SMU's Cox School of Business, etc. All would have history on the donors. Same thing is applicable here



Al Bhatti said:


> In a certain city in USA if you find a pithole you just have to take a photo of it on your smart phone and through a municipality app send it to them. The municipality will recieve the picture along with cordinates and within 7 days they repair the pit hole.
> *
> I wish to see this in Pakistan*.



Your prayers have been heard . There are more than a few automated management projects in place which will run on mobil apps. In fact, that's the EASY part. But they need to put in infrastructure first to bring Pakistani cities to 2016 standards (compared to the globe) and start the process of creation of new cities, schools, hospitals, etc (like it happens in the US and anywhere else, wherever a modern highway goes, different cities and housing communities start to pop up right away). So as all this infrastructure grows, the Apps pretty much exist that will be utilized. Just some patience is required.

Half the Pakistan is about to get built with 2016 modern and new architecture from New Karachi to the Afghan border (around CPEC). Imagine as Pakistan grows, she would be one of the VERY few countries to have her economy running on the most modern infrastructure built in 2015 on wards. All other big cities are older, much older like 200 years in age like NYC, Paris, London. So as you slowly go towards the top 11 economies in the next decade, Pakistan will be a beautiful and pretty much all newly built place, creating millions of new jobs every years and building hundreds of thousands of new Pakistani millionaires, improving the entire country's global outlook to a level never imagines till now


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## Talwar e Pakistan

Viper0011. said:


> Its like when you go to large projects in the US, you see pictures and bio of people who donated the money. For example, NYU's Stern School of Business, Sloan School of Business / Management (MIT), SMU's Cox School of Business, etc. All would have history on the donors. Same thing is applicable here
> 
> 
> 
> Your prayers have been heard . There are more than a few automated management projects in place which will run on mobil apps. In fact, that's the EASY part. But they need to put in infrastructure first to bring Pakistani cities to 2016 standards (compared to the globe) and start the process of creation of new cities, schools, hospitals, etc (like it happens in the US and anywhere else, wherever a modern highway goes, different cities and housing communities start to pop up right away). So as all this infrastructure grows, the Apps pretty much exist that will be utilized. Just some patience is required.
> 
> Half the Pakistan is about to get built with 2016 modern and new architecture from New Karachi to the Afghan border (around CPEC). Imagine as Pakistan grows, she would be one of the VERY few countries to have her economy running on the most modern infrastructure built in 2015 on wards. All other big cities are older, much older like 200 years in age like NYC, Paris, London. So as you slowly go towards the top 11 economies in the next decade, Pakistan will be a beautiful and pretty much all newly built place, creating millions of new jobs every years and building hundreds of thousands of new Pakistani millionaires, improving the entire country's global outlook to a level never imagines till now


Not to mention a project of 45 smart cities was announced a couple days ago.


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## Viper0011.

Talwar e Pakistan said:


> Not to mention a project of 45 smart cities was announced a couple days ago.



Yup, that's what I was referring to. Its just the phase I. There are three phases roughly comprising of 150 new cities and all focused on catering to Industrial base and local businesses. All master planned and built on 2016 Real Estate standards!!


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