Islamabad, Dec 6: Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, chaired a meeting with the Public-Private Partnership Authority (P3A) to review progress on key projects. He directed the Aviation Ministry to expedite the outsourcing of operations at Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi airports.
- Airport Outsourcing:
- Islamabad Airport: Bids under evaluation by the Pakistan Airports Authority’s Technical Evaluation Committee.
- Lahore & Karachi Airports: Due diligence reports submitted to P3A. Talks are underway with a UAE-based company for Lahore Airport.
Additionally, the Civil Aviation Authority has paused Lahore airport’s expansion following the prime minister’s directive.
- Foreign Investment Agenda:
The minister tasked the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) to finalize a targeted agenda for Rs. 29 billion projects with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Azerbaijan. These investments aim to expand exports and strengthen Pakistan’s economy. - Karachi Port Cargo Efficiency:
Improvements in cargo efficiency at Karachi Port were also discussed, focusing on establishing a freight corridor. The minister instructed the Ministry of Maritime Affairs to coordinate with Karachi Port Trust to address scheduling challenges caused by restricted operational hours.
Iqbal emphasized that well-structured investment strategies and efficient public-private partnerships are pivotal to Pakistan’s economic growth.
