Senate Panel Raises Alarm Over Project Bias By Planning Ministry

The Senate Standing Committee on Planning and Development has raised serious concerns over the funding, prioritization, and pace of several national development projects. It has also blamed the Planning Ministry for approving only politically-motivated projects. The meeting, chaired by Senator Quratulain Marri, reviewed progress on ongoing initiatives and questioned decision-making within key ministries and authorities. Senator Jam Saifullah criticized the Ministry of Planning for what he described as politically motivated project approvals, alleging multiple developments were being directed toward Narowal. “These are public funds and must benefit the broader population,” he said. He warned that if the Planning Minister does not attend the next meeting, the Committee will formally notify the Prime Minister and the Chairman Senate. The Ministry informed the Committee that the Minister is currently abroad and will be briefed on the concerns. The Committee objected to the proposed establishment of a Center of Excellence by a foreign firm that has sought government financing rather than contributing its own capital. Senator Marri said the company was asking the state to fund a project it claimed it would build itself, while Senator Sadia Abbasi noted that Pakistan already has multiple research institutions that should be strengthened instead of adding new ones. The Committee also expressed dissatisfaction with the Higher Education Commission’s project allocations under the Public Sector Development Program. It noted that no new university projects were proposed for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, while seven were approved for Punjab and three for Sindh. Members described the imbalance as “a matter of serious concern” and agreed to refer the issue to the Senate Committee on Federal Education. On infrastructure, the Committee reviewed the M-6 Motorway Project and called attention to delays, particularly the non-appointment of a financial advisor for Section III. The National Highway Authority was instructed to finalize the appointment before the next meeting. The NHA reported that financing progress has been made on the Sukkur–Hyderabad Motorway, including $475 million approved by the Islamic Development Bank for two sections. Advance procurement has begun, while environmental assessments are being reviewed by the OPEC Fund. Two other sections will be executed under a Public-Private Partnership model, with transaction advisory work underway. The project has also been pitched to Saudi Arabia for potential investment. The Committee said it will continue to monitor execution timelines to ensure that public funds are used transparently, development gaps across provinces are addressed, and project delays are minimized.