Islamabad: Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has directed swift measures to ensure the early completion of delayed development projects. PM Shehbaz Sharif was chairing a review meeting in Islamabad on Thursday, focused on the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) projects for the current fiscal year.
The Prime Minister also emphasized the importance of third-party validation for PSDP projects, particularly those related to clean water, electricity, communications, and education, to maintain transparency. He stressed that all completed and nearly completed projects must meet high standards of quality and undergo thorough third-party inspection. He added that public convenience should remain central to every initiative, with a strong focus on delivering reliable and high-quality services.
Highlighting education as a top government priority, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif underscored the construction of high-quality institutions such as Danish Schools across all provinces, including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir. These centers are an essential part of the current fiscal year's development agenda, aiming to offer world-class education and equal opportunities to children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
About the water infrastructure, the Prime Minister affirmed that reservoirs are vital to national integrity, and several projects aimed at enhancing water storage capacity are already under construction.
Discussing innovation and technology, he said the development of technology parks in Karachi and Islamabad will help transform Pakistan into a key regional and global hub for information technology. He also recognized the establishment of Special Economic Zones as a cornerstone of the government's economic vision.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister was briefed on completed development projects and ongoing initiatives for the current fiscal year. It was said that numerous projects, spanning communication, IT, water reservoirs, electricity, education, and healthcare, have already been completed, with new ventures progressing rapidly across the country.
Meanwhile Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a Task Force to ensure provision of clean water to residents of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, prevent contamination of existing water reservoirs by sewage, and develop a coordinated water supply system from various dams to Islamabad.
He ordered the formation of the Task Force while chairing a meeting in Islamabad on Thursday to address the issue of water scarcity in the federal capital.
The Task Force will be led by Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi and will include members from the Capital Development Authority, WAPDA, the Punjab Irrigation Department, and other relevant institutions.
The Prime Minister directed the CDA to present a comprehensive plan for recharging underground water reserves using rainwater. He also instructed the establishment of an effective system to prevent pollution in Rawal Dam, caused by sewage from informal settlements near the dam and its tributaries. Additionally, he emphasized the need for a water treatment system to manage sewage generated by illegal and informal housing areas.
PM Shehbaz Sharif also gave instructions for the establishment of a water supply system at the earliest to deliver the unanimously approved water from Tarbela, Khanpur, and other dams to Islamabad's households.
The meeting was informed that the supply system is already being developed to deliver the unanimously approved water from Rawal, Tarbela, and Khanpur dams to Islamabad. Progress on the construction of multiple dams in surrounding areas was reviewed, along with proposals and strategies for extending the water supply network from these dams to the capital.
The Prime Minister was briefed on the establishment of a proposed Water Board along with its responsibilities. The board will be responsible for managing existing and future water reserves, overseeing household water distribution, coordinating stakeholder access, and implementing relevant measures to ensure sustainable water management.
Furthermore, the meeting reviewed initiatives taken by the CDA to mitigate contamination of water sources resulting from sewage discharge from informal settlements within Islamabad.