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Business Recorder
19-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Target to achieve $60bn in exports over next 5 years: Ahsan
ISLAMAABD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal said the government's target is to achieve $60 billion in exports over the next five years. While addressing a meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee on Planning, the minister said, 'If we work with dedication, the dream of a $3 trillion economy by 2047 can become a reality.' The committee met with Syed Abdul Qadir Gillani in the chair in the auditorium of the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Islamabad on Friday. He said that for the first time in the country's history, Rs1 trillion have been spent on PSDP (Public Sector Development Programme) projects. He said that a clear roadmap for 'Uraan Pakistan' (Pakistan's Ascent) to tackle the challenges the country faces. He said that political stability and continuity of policies are essential for the completion of development projects. He said that a long-term integrated policy and a conducive environment are fundamental requirements for development. The minister said that 'everyone must work for the country's economic growth, rising above political affiliations.' He said the Ministry of Planning has identified five solid pillars for sustainable economic growth. The minister gave the committee an overview of Uraan Pakistan — the National Transformation Plan 2025–2030. He noted that earlier national five-year plans succeeded due to political continuity, unlike the present scenario, where frequent democratic disruptions have hindered progress. He emphasised that even the best ideas require a stable and enabling environment to flourish. The minister highlighted Pakistan's economic turnaround since 2022, stating that inflation had been brought down from double to single digits. He elaborated on the government's strategic focus on the 'Five Es': Exports, E-Commerce, Energy, Environment, and Ethics — underlining them as critical pillars of the transformation agenda. He said that under the second pillar of the 'Five Es,' projects involving modern technology are being pursued. He said that under the 'Five Es,' the completion of water projects, in light of climate challenges, is a government priority. He said that the completion of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam is among the government's top priorities. He said that the government's aim is to ensure the supply of affordable and reliable energy. Under the fifth pillar of the 'Five Es,' the government is focusing particularly on human resource development, said the federal minister. 'After the 18th Constitutional Amendment, most departments have been devolved to the provinces, but centralisation of powers within the provinces has undermined its spirit. There should be a national dialogue on empowering local governments or creating new provinces to make Pakistan's administrative structure more effective,' said the federal minister. He said that controlling population growth is a national emergency and for this purpose, a National Task Force is being established. He said that just as we defeated India in 'Operation Bunyanum Marsoos,' we will achieve supremacy in the economic field with the same determination. The minister said that the government has achieved significant success in controlling inflation. He said that climate change has created new challenges for the national economy. The committee commenced with a follow-up discussion on the tragic Multan LPG tanker blast of January 2025. The committee raised serious concerns over the inquiry process and the distribution of compensation packages, particularly questioning why the elected member of the National Assembly was not consulted throughout the process. The committee recommended a reinvestigation into the incident. Chairperson Syed Abdul Qadir Gillani expressed his resolve to pursue the matter across all relevant forums, vowing to ensure accountability and prevent future tragedies. The committee called for a comprehensive briefing on the case. The meeting was attended by Committee Members Naz Baloch, Muhammad Moazzam Ali Khan, Farhan Chishti, Akhtar Bibi, Dawar Khan Kundi, and Yousaf Khan. Senior officials from the Ministry of Planning, Finance Division, OGRA, and other relevant departments were also present. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
NA body slams Ogra over unregistered LPG tankers in KP and theft in Sindh
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, while drawing attention to the unchecked and hazardous sale of LPG in plastic bags in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and rampant theft in Sindh, sharply criticised the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) for regulatory lapses, particularly regarding the vast number of unregistered LPG tankers operating across the country. Of the estimated 2,000 bowsers in circulation, only 800 are reportedly registered with the Department of Explosives and just 247 are licensed by OGRA—revealing a significant oversight gap. This was revealed before the committee which met with Syed Abdul Qadir Gillani in the chair here on Tuesday. The session opened with a critical discussion on the Multan LPG tanker explosion of 27th January 2025. Expressing serious concern, Chairman Gillani remarked, 'Such incidents are becoming rampant, and providing meagre aid to victims is not a solution. This must stop—we must identify and hold those responsible.' Committee members echoed these sentiments, drawing attention to the unchecked and hazardous sale of LPG in plastic bags in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and rampant theft in Sindh. Questions were raised about the lack of surveillance, low inspection frequency, weak tracking mechanisms, and poor coordination between OGRA and the Explosives Department. The OGRA officials responded that a regional office had been opened in Multan and awareness campaigns were underway. They acknowledged the scale of unregulated operations and admitted that current laws are insufficient. The OGRA requested parliamentary support for legislative amendments to strengthen penalties and enforcement. The OGRA chairman stated that actions are being taken against illegal LPG tankers, and penalties are being made stricter. He revealed, 'We are bringing amendments to criminal laws. Previously, the penalty was six months imprisonment and a fine of Rs3,000. Now, through amendments, a proposal is to impose 10 years imprisonment and a fine of Rs20 million.' MNA Dawar Kundi criticised the previous meagre fine, asking, 'Such a small fine, why were the licenses of these tankers not canceled?' MNA Saleemur Rehman expressed outrage, stating, 'OGRA has committed injustice; CNG is being openly sold next to the Swat Motorway.' Major (retired) Tahir Iqbal questioned, 'Does OGRA have a system for checking tankers? Tracking should also be done.' He further suggested that 'increasing penalties will do nothing; suspending licenses is the right action.' The committee referred the matter of illegal and substandard LPG tankers to the Standing Committee on Petroleum and directed that answers to committee members' questions be provided in the next meeting. While contractors involved in the Multan incident are reportedly under review, the Committee expressed dissatisfaction with the accountability process and the compensation announced—deeming Rs600,000 grossly inadequate for lives lost. Members called for immediate suspension of licenses for those under investigation and urged the introduction of stringent safety and inspection protocols. The committee resolved to revisit the matter in the next session with a detailed presentation on the registration, licensing, and enforcement framework. A major agenda item was the presentation of the Sub-Committee's report by its Convener, Syed Samiul Hassan Gillani, concerning the execution of development projects—especially those formerly overseen by the Public Works Department (PWD) and subsequently transferred to provinces. Gillani appreciated the cooperation of federal ministries, including Finance, Planning, and Housing, shared the achievements of the sub-committee's performance while also highlighting persistent issues in coordination and project execution. Concerns were raised about the operational capacity of Pakistan Infrastructure Development Company Limited (PIDCL) and several issues which led to unnecessary delays. The committee chairman directed that the matter of development projects be discussed in the subcommittee. To address these challenges, the committee reconstituted its sub-committee, again placing Syed Samiul Hassan Gillani as convener. The sub-committee will review the status of ongoing PWD-linked projects and submit its findings within 30 days. It was unanimously noted that merely transferring personnel from PWD to PIDCL without addressing the underlying issues of inefficiency and corruption would be ineffective. While some members supported reforming and reviving PWD with stronger oversight, others advocated for establishing a new, competent institution for federal-provincial project coordination. The committee stressed that executing agencies must have adequate capacity and that elected representatives should have the discretion to select implementing partners for their constituencies. Additionally, the committee deliberated on the province-wise allocation of new Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) projects for fiscal year 2025-26. The Ministry of Planning briefed the committee on PSDP projects while saying that 1,077 projects were placed in PSDP last fiscal year while 344 projects were completed last fiscal year. A total of 172 development projects were placed in PSDP in Punjab last fiscal year, and Rs116 billion were allocated for Punjab's development projects. Further, Rs53 billion were allocated for 102 projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa last year. Sindh had 117 projects last year and Rs171 billion were allocated last year. Balochistan had 186 projects last year and Rs93 billion were allocated. The committee sought details of projects for Narowal in the next meeting. The Ministry of Planning was directed to present a detailed breakdown—district-wise and division-wise—in the next meeting. The members also voiced concern over recurring infrastructure damage caused by seasonal floods. The committee urged the formulation of a comprehensive national flood prevention and mitigation policy, emphasising a shift from reactive to preventive planning. It was agreed that the matter would be explored further with relevant federal and provincial stakeholders. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
20-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
NA panel disapproves PWD closure sans transition plan
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Monday expressed dissatisfaction over the dissolution of Pakistan Public Works Department (PWD) without a transition framework, which has caused operational confusion about the development projects. The standing committee recommended formulating clear standard operating procedures (SOPs) and a centralised oversight mechanism to ensure accountability and continuity for development projects. The committee met with Syed Abdul Kadir Gillani in the chair at the Parliament house on Monday. NA panel urges PM to reconsider PWD closure The members reviewed implementation of previous recommendations, examined sub-committee findings, and assessed progress on development initiatives under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). A detailed report was presented by the sub-committee led by Syed Samiul Hassan Gillani, MNA, on the status of projects transferred to the provinces in the wake of PWD dissolution. The report, based on four meetings, outlined inter-ministerial coordination efforts and challenges in implementing Sustainable Development Goals Achievement Programme (SAP) schemes, especially where federal funding is executed through provincial bodies. The committee expressed concern over persistent execution issues, including re-tendering delays in Punjab, contractor litigation, and limited capacity within Pakistan Infrastructure Development Company Limited (PIDCL) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Members also noted delays in third-party verifications and pending payments. To address these, the sub-committee was reconstituted with Zulfiqar Bachani, Malik Sohail Khan, and Muhammad Ameer Sultan joining as members under the convenership of Syed Samiul Hassan Gillani. The Ministry of Finance clarified that the PSDP fund disbursements are made based on provincial requisitions, with no discrimination. Funds of the merged districts under the Accelerated Implementation Plan has been released. Members were informed that new national projects will be finalized by 31st May, with several PC-1s already submitted for inclusion in the PSDP. Members emphasised timely consultation on these projects to reflect public priorities. Members were also briefed on the Roche project, funded over five years to provide free cancer medication. The initial phase will be implemented at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), with expansion planned in later stages. Concerns were raised over the lack of clean drinking water in Multan and underfunding of Nishtar Hospital-II. The committee stressed immediate attention to essential health and water services as fundamental rights. The NHA updated the committee on the M6 Motorway (Sukkur–Hydera-bad), a Rs450 billion project divided into five sections. Feasibility for the Hyder-abad–Karachi link is underway. The committee discussed proceeding under a Public-Private Partnership model versus awaiting Asian Development Bank (ADB) support. Progress on partnership proposals, including one with Azerbaijan, remains limited. The committee deferred the Uraan Pakistan project and recommended inclusion of the National Highways Authority (NHA) in the next meeting. Additionally, the committee, unanimously, approved PSDP projects for the Frontier Constabulary for the upcoming fiscal year. The meeting concluded with a call for unified oversight, improved federal-provincial coordination, and equitable resource distribution to ensure timely delivery of national development priorities. Attendees included Maj (retired) Tahir Iqbal, Syed Samiul Hassan Gillani, Naz Baloch, Muhammad Moazzam Ali Khan, Farhan Chishti, Akhtar Bibi, Dawar Khan Kundi, Malik Sohail Khan, Ali Asghar Khan, Iqbal Zehri, and Muhammad Ameer Sultan, alongside senior officials from the Ministry of Planning, Finance Division, NHA, and Ministry of Interior. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
