ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s much-awaited Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway project is entering into a critical phase as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is set to finalise its design by October, after which procurement and other implementation requirements are expected to move ahead.
Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Senator Ahad Cheema held a meeting with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) delegation to review progress on the ML-1 railway project, with particular focus on timely finalisation of the project design and subsequent preparatory requirements.
ADB informed the meeting that its technical team and Project Consultants are actively working on the project and that every effort is being made to finalise the ML-1 project design within October. The ADB side further stated that, once the project design is finalised, it would make every effort, in close coordination with the Government, to move forward with procurement and other subsequent stages promptly.
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Cheema appreciated the progress being made by ADB and its technical teams and emphasised the importance of maintaining close coordination among all stakeholders to facilitate timely completion of the ongoing work.
The Minister said Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif attaches high priority to the ML-1 project and is keen to see it move towards implementation at the earliest possible stage. He assured the ADB delegation that the Government of Pakistan remains fully prepared to complete all requirements on its part promptly and extend necessary facilitation throughout the process.
The Minister also called for continued review of the implementation schedule to identify opportunities, where feasible, to optimise timelines while ensuring full compliance with all technical, legal and procedural requirements.
The ADB representatives appreciated the Government of Pakistan’s commitment to advancing the project and assured that ADB would continue to work closely with the Government to facilitate timely progress. They also said that requirements related to subsequent processing and approvals, including those concerning consideration by the ADB Board, would be shared with the Government on time.
The meeting was attended by ADB Country Director for Pakistan Emma Fan, ADB Deputy Country Director, Secretary Railways Mazhar Ali Shah, Secretary Economic Affairs Muhammad Humair Karim, Director General Planning, Ministry of Railways, and other senior officials from the relevant ministries and departments.
The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of the Government of Pakistan and ADB to maintaining close coordination for timely finalisation of the project design and steady progress toward the implementation of the ML-1 project.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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