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Infrastructure Development in Pakistan


Peshawar to Karachi Motorway Section (III) Abdulhakeem to Samundri
 
Dutch firm to set up plant in Sindh

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KARACHI: Frisian Egg, a Netherlands-based multinational egg processing company, is setting up Pakistan’s largest egg processing factory in collaboration with a local partner in Sindh, which will be the first such factory in the province that is expected to start commercial production by the end of 2018. Sindh Board of Investment (SBI) Chairperson Naheed Memon in a meeting said the establishment of Barkat Frisian Pasteurised egg plant at the Bin Qasim Industrial Park was a sign of trust of international companies in Pakistan’s economy.

Barkat company will contribute for the project an investment of Rs100 million while its Dutch counterpart will invest Rs75 million. Meezan Bank will provide a loan of Rs125 million whereas the Sindh Enterprise Development Fund will provide Rs20 million with interest at subsidised rate.
 
National Highway Authority (NHA) has planned to undertake six motorway projects with an estimated cost of $1.83 billion through Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis, official sources revealed.

The total length of these six projects is 572 km and would be awarded a concession term of 20-25 years. Further, the land to be provided by the government for these projects and expected rate of return is 15-20 percent, revealed documents available with ProPakistani.

NHA is promoting PPP in order to bring skills, efficiency and to augment limited public resources. NHA Act and PPP Policy also provide a legal framework for Private Sector Financing, sources added.

The 70 km Sialkot-Kharian Motorway will be a new 6-lane motorway and would be constructed at a cost of $365 million on PPP basis. The 115 km Kharian-Rawalpindi Motorway will be the new 6-lane motorway and would cost around $518 million. The 294 km Pindi Bhattian-Multan Motorway (M-4) will be converted from an existing 4-lane Motorway into a 6-lane Motorway and would cost around $727 million.

The 43 km long Nowshera-Peshawar Expressway (N-5) will also be converted into a 6-lane Expressway with an estimated cost of $100 million. The 50 km long Karachi Northern Bypass (M-10) will be converted from existing 2-lane highway into 4-lane Motorway with an estimated cost of $120 million. Further, the plan includes up-gradation, operation & maintenance of identified stretches of National Highways and Motorways.

According to the documents, NHA has initiated an ambitious program of $13.6 billion, including China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) during the last four years, and established the largest Private Sector Financing Regime through Public Private Partnership (PPP) of $ 3.4 billion with 882 km of motorway.

About 1785 km of motorways have been added into the network during the last five years and increased from 575 km in 2013 to 2360 km in 2018. Road infrastructure projects worth Rs 1.74 trillion were either completed, on-going or in planning and procurement stages since 2013, which guarantee the socio-economic development of the country, the official added.

NHA completed 35 projects worth Rs. 498 billion with a length of 2813 km since 2013. 25 major highway projects of 1460 km length are ongoing and would be completed with Rs 445 billion.

Further, 21 major projects of 3200 km are in planning and procurement stages and would be completed at a cost of Rs. 800 billion. Further Hakla-D.I.Khan motorway- 290 km western route would be completed in 2019.
 
Pakistan mulls $118 million project to strengthen early warning system


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KARACHI: Pakistan plans to pour over a hundred million dollars into a project aimed at strengthening Met Office's Early Warning System in order to provide reliable weather forecasts and prevent damages associated with natural calamities such as the devastating floods of 2010.

The cost of the project is estimated to be at $118 million of which 90 percent would be provided by the World Bank.

According to a Working Paper prepared for the perusal of the Central Development Working Party of the Planning Commission, the World Bank has indicated its intent to finance the project which envisages strengthening and upgradation of early warning system of Pakistan Metrological Department (PMD).

Under the proposed project, eight weather forecasting radars of various bands will be installed at Lahore, Gwadar, Chitral, Gilgit, Dera Ismail Khan, Cherat, Dal Badin and Quetta.

It will also help in strengthening of aviation forecasts through installation of wind profilers and automated surface observing systems in five major cities - Multan, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Islamabad.

Improved development and delivery of hydro-met information services and early warnings can make important contributions to economic productivity while also enhancing community resistance to natural hazards.

This project, if implemented, will increase weather and climate change adaptation and resilience-better manning water resources and increasing agricultural productivity.

The main objective is to strengthen the PMD for delivery of reliable and timely hydro-meteorological services including EWs to user departments and communities.

The CDWP considered the project during a meeting last year imposing some conditions and calling on the PDM to conduct feasibility study and chalk out Master Plan while keeping all stakeholders on board.

Besides short, medium and long-term objectives under which the project envisages providing information, the project under higher level objectives, will support the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to address the challenges posed by climate change and natural disasters.
 
Islamabad: Pakistan Post has bought an acre of land in Gwadar for an international mail office, a news source reported. This project is going to cost PKR 79 million.

According to sources, the PC-1 of the project has been prepared by Pakistan Post and the planning phase is complete for the project. PKR 40 million has been allocated for the project under Public Sector Development Program (PSDP).

Not only will the international mail office provide postal services, it will also provide logistical services. The construction will begin on the project as soon as the federal government approves it.

The acquired land is located close to Gwadar Industrial Zone and it is expected that the postal office will get good business from the industrial area

 
NLC launches vehicle recovery service

RAWALPINDI: National Logistics Cell (NLC) has launched a comprehensive recovery service for light and heavy vehicles along the entire GT Road with the aim of enhancing the efficiency and performance of logistics industry of Pakistan and facilitating general commuters. Called the NLC Dost Recovery, the service will be available 24/7 round the year and is the first of its kind along the GT Road which will alleviate the hardship being faced by commuters in general and transporters in particular in the event of mishap and breakdown. Latest machinery and equipment has been placed at important facilities on the GT Road to help motorists and truckers in timely recovery of light and heavy vehicles. A dedicated helpline – UAN number 042-111-321-321 – has been established for prompt response to salvage and rescue the disabled and damaged vehicles.
 
Power for off-grid areas: Solar mini-grids set up in two districts of K-P

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ISLAMABAD: To solve the power crisis, a German development bank along with a poverty alleviation fund have set up modern solar-powered mini power grids in two districts of the province.

The KfW Development Bank and the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) set up the power projects in Swabi and Karak districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

PPAF has been working on hydropower and renewable energy (HRE) projects in K-P with financial support from the German government through the German Development Bank (KfW).

The mini-grid solar systems, implemented in small villages of Swabi and Karak, can produce 196 kilowatts (kW) and 185kW respectively.

Together, they help provide electricity from indigenous and clean sources to about 434 households.

The project follows a similar project in Lakki Marwat where 24 solar mini-grid systems, with a total capacity of 119kW, were installed in off-grid villages.

While inaugurating the solar mini-grid project in Sarobi Ida Khel Village in the Palosa Sar union council of Karak, KfW Frankfurt Peace and Governance Programme Division Head Michael Gruber appreciated the efforts of PPAF and implementing partners in setting up the renewable energy projects in difficult and inaccessible terrains.

“These community-managed solar lighting systems will not only meet basic lighting requirements but will also be available for village-level businesses and local enterprises. They will increase the household income, adding value to local products and transforming lives of marginalised communities,” Gruber said.

“As these projects are located in difficult terrains, we have to make sure that a high quality of equipment and civil structures is used efficiently and in sustainable ways to ensure the long life of these projects,” KfW Germany Peace Governance Project Principal Project Manager Maja Bott said.

She further urged the beneficiary communities to “take ownership of operating and maintaining the solar systems.”

PPAF General Manager Nafees Ahmad Khan thanked KfW and the local communities for their support in completing the projects.

“PPAF is delighted to work on this project with KfW and to play an active part in helping improve lives of people living in the areas which will ultimately improve the socio-economic situation of the people and the overall development of the area,” Nafees said.

PPAF and KfW’s HRE project is spread over two phases. The first phase of the project, which began in 2013 and is expected to be completed later this year, will see as many as 68 solar mini-grid installed, generating a combined 500 kW in remote and off-grid locations of Karak, Swabi and Lakki Marwat districts. Additional micro hydropower plants, with a total capacity of 803 kW, are expected to be implemented in Chitral, Upper Dir and Buner districts.

Phase two of the project is expected to be completed in three years.

Once complete, the project would have been implemented in six districts of the province covering eight union councils in remote areas including in Swabi, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Buner, Upper Dir and Chitral.

KfW Technical Expert Thilo Heighberger, KfW Pakistan Governance and peace Coordinator Shaukat Ali, senior officials from PPAF and implementing partners including National Rural Support Programme (NRSP) and Community Motivation and Development Organisation (CMDO) attended the inauguration ceremony.
 
Germany to help Pakistan increase renewable energy share

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Germany have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for establishing a renewable energy platform which is expected to solidify Islamabad’s efforts aimed at capitalising on the available potential for clean and green energy.

Federal Minister for Energy Syed Ali Zafar, German Ambassador Martin Kobler and Power Division Secretary Rizwan Memon were present on the occasion.

Highlighting its importance, the energy minister said, “this Renewable Energy Forum will serve as a hub for renewable energy and energy-efficient business networking, customer outreach and business development in Pakistan and Germany.”
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Global consultant backed ETPL’s bid for LNG terminal

ISLAMABAD: Inter State Gas Systems (ISGS) has insisted that the financial bid submitted by Elengy Terminal Pakistan Limited (ETPL) had been endorsed by an international consultant and was found to be in compliance with the Request for Proposal (RFP) for building the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the country.

In response to a petition filed in the Supreme Court, ISGS – a company set up by the government to handle gas import projects – said QED Consulting had also apprised that there was no condition attached to the ETPL’s price proposal.

The consultant explained that in order to provide with an independent analysis of ETPL’s price proposal, it had undertaken comparisons.
 
FAISALABAD: Twelve acres have been proposed to be allocated for a technology park in M3 Industrial Estate in Faisalabad to showcase new inventions and technologies, said an official, adding that it would meet needs of the industrial sector.

The park is to be developed by the National Institute of Biotechnology and Genetics Engineering (NIBGE) and other research institutes for the commercialisation and establishment of high-tech industries.

Speaking at the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), NIBGE Director Dr Shahid Mansoor said the mandate of research institutions is to innovate and develop new technologies in accordance with needs of the industrial sector, but the commercialisation depends on the private sector.
He said despite concerted efforts, Pakistan has failed to bridge the missing linkage and hence, the industrial sector is left with obsolete and redundant technologies.
 
Marble & other stones are being exported via Gwadar Port

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