Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema chaired a high-level meeting to review the implementation framework of the ML-1 Karachi–Rohri Section and discuss measures for expediting progress on the project.
Secretary Economic Affairs Muhammad Humair Karim and Secretary Railways Mazhar Ali Shah briefed the meeting on the ongoing work and preparatory arrangements related to ML-1. Country Director of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Emma Fan and senior ADB officials also participated in the discussions.
The Minister directed the Ministry of Railways to accelerate the documentation process for the project in close coordination with the ADB and the Economic Affairs Division. He emphasized that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is keen to ensure that the groundbreaking ceremony of the ML-1 project is held within the current year.
Ahad Cheema stated that the government aims to secure ADB funding in the upcoming fiscal year and noted that timely completion of documentation and procedural requirements would be essential to achieving this objective. He further instructed the Ministry of Railways to coordinate closely with the Planning Division to ensure readiness of the PC-1 and other mandatory project requirements.
The Minister underscored the government’s determination to move the project forward efficiently while ensuring transparency and avoiding procedural gaps. He described ML-1 as a landmark initiative that will significantly improve freight movement and strengthen railway services across the country.
The Minister said the Karachi–Rohri section is a starter and will be implemented come what may. He added that the government is coordinating with other development partners for the remaining sections of ML-1 and will strive to finalize agreements for the entire ML-1 project from Karachi to Peshawar.
ADB Country Director Emma Fan appreciated the efforts of the Economic Affairs Division and the Ministry of Railways in advancing the project. She reaffirmed ADB’s commitment to supporting the government in expediting documentation and related formalities, stated that ADB would ensure the timely hiring of the PRF consultant, and added that the Bank would make every effort to minimize the project review timeline to facilitate the swift implementation of this strategically important initiative.
