Infrastructural development: PM for strengthening public-private partnership

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul Haq-Kakar was informed on Monday that outsourcing of Sialkot-Kharian Motorway, Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway, Kharian-Rawalpindi Motorway, Karachi Circular Railway, and Islamabad International Airport are among the projects of Public Private Partnership PPP Authority (PPPA).

The caretaker prime minister presided over a high-level meeting regarding PPPA and was given a detailed briefing regarding its performance.

The prime minister described the collaboration between the government and the private sector as very important in the development of the country and added that government expenditure can be reduced by promoting public-private partnership.

Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway: PM wants more projects on public-private partnership model

He said that there is a need to further promote the public-private partnership regarding the construction of motorways and highways. Infrastructure development will improve connectivity, which will strengthen national unity, added the premier.

The prime minister directed that a comprehensive plan should be presented regarding east-west connectivity to give better access to the western regions of the country to the eastern regions. He emphasized the need to find more opportunities to promote public-private partnership.

The meeting was told that projects worth Rs646 billion were started in the last two years under public-private partnership. Direct savings of Rs150 billion were made in terms of government subsidies through the approved projects of public-private partnership.

The meeting was informed that outsourcing of Sialkot-Kharian Motorway, Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway, Kharian-Rawalpindi Motorway, Karachi Circular Railways and Islamabad International Airport are among the projects of the Public Private Partnership Authority. Education, information technology and export sectors are among the priorities of PPPA.

The meeting was told that the PPPA is working on increasing awareness, training programmes and capacity building regarding government and private sector partnerships. The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Planning Sami Saeed, Advisor to Prime Minister Ahad Cheema, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Muhammad Jehanzeb, and related government officials.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023