Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Cheema on Friday chaired a high-level meeting to review the implementation framework of the ML-1 Karachi–Rohri Section, emphasizing that the government wants to break ground on the project within this year.
Economic Affairs Secretary Muhammad Humair Karim and Railways Secretary Mazhar Ali Shah briefed the meeting on the ongoing work and preparatory arrangements related to ML-1. Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director Emma Fan and other senior ADB officials also participated in the discussions.
The minister, per a statement, 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 was keen to ensure the groundbreaking ceremony of the ML-1 project was held within the current year.
Cheema said 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 federal minister underscored the government’s determination to advance the project efficiently while ensuring transparency and avoiding procedural gaps. He described ML-1 as a landmark initiative that would significantly improve freight movement and strengthen railway services nationwide.
According to Cheema, the Karachi–Rohri section is merely the start. He said the government is coordinating with other development partners for the remaining sections of ML-1 and would strive to finalize agreements for the entire project from Karachi to Peshawar.
The ADB country director appreciated the efforts of the Economic Affairs Division and the Ministry of Railways in advancing the project. She reaffirmed the ADB’s commitment to supporting the government in expediting documentation and related formalities, adding the lender would ensure the timely hiring of the PRF consultant. She said the bank would make every effort to minimize the project review timeline to facilitate the swift implementation of this strategically important initiative.