Ministry of Planning Development and Special Initiatives

Planning Ministry is launching an exciting interactive forum #AskYourMinister, where Minister Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary will personally address your questions in a live session. Drop your questions in the comments below on social media. Selected questions will be answered live. 📅 Stay tuned for the live session details!

Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary Strongly Condemns #Quetta Bomb Blast: The Government and Nation Stands United with the Victims. Through Investigation would be conducted to bring the responsible to Justice!

Federal Minister for Planning Prof. Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary’s message to the youth on #IqbalDay: Awaken your selfhood, arm yourselves with knowledge and research, and strive to reach a station where even the stars bow to your command. #IqbalDay #9thNovember #YouthEmpowerment

Federal Minister Prof. Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary, presided over a high-level meeting in Islamabad to outline the “Framework for Processing Concept Proposals for New Projects” under the Pakistan-UK Education Gateway Phase 2. The session brought together key officials including Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Dr. Najeeb Ullah, Member of Science & Technology, and senior representatives from the British Council, notably Country Director Pakistan James Hampson and Head of Education Sarah Parvez. Discussions revisited Phase 1 of the initiative, where the British Council facilitated 21 Research Travel Grants and eight large-scale Research Partnership projects, alongside capacity-building programs that trained more than 1,000 researchers and reviewers. 51 universities received certification for their Offices of Research, Innovation, and Commercialization (ORIC), setting a precedent for institutional reform. Phase 2 seeks to deepen the impact of these collaborations, focusing on fellowship opportunities for international faculty and students, fostering commercially viable research, strengthening leadership capabilities, and encouraging transnational education with mutual qualification recognition. Minister Iqbal highlighted the need for outcome-oriented mechanisms to evaluate grant effectiveness. “Despite considerable investments, the output of high-caliber research professionals remains suboptimal,” he said. “We must engage elite researchers and collaborate with globally ranked institutions to raise research benchmarks and enhance sectoral growth.” Emphasizing purposeful engagements with UK institutions, Iqbal noted that visits by Pakistani researchers must yield quantifiable benefits upon return. “Institutional capacity-building and reform-driven results must be central to these exchanges,” he added. The Pakistan-UK Education Gateway Phase 2 reflects a determined push to transform higher education into a globally competitive sector aligned with Pakistan’s socio-economic objectives.

Federal Minister for Planning Prof. Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary and Chinese Ambassador H.E. Jiang Zaidong held an Important meeting to align CPEC Phase-II with the BRI roadmap. The session focused on expediting economic corridor projects between Pakistan and China. Minister Iqbal strongly condemned the recent attack on Chinese nationals in Karachi, emphasizing Chinese Bretheren security as a top priority. Discussions also focused progress on key initiatives, including the ML-1, KKH Phase 2, and Gwadar projects. #CPEC #PakChinaCollaboration #StrategicPartnership

Minister Ahsan Iqbal, H.E Jiang Zaidong Strategize on CPEC Phase-II and BRI Roadmap Alignment The Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Mr. Jiang Zaidong, called on the Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary today in Islamabad. Minister Ahsan Iqbal, in his opening remarks, condemned the recent attack on Chinese nationals in Karachi, emphasizing that Pakistan will take all necessary measures to bring the perpetrators to justice. He assured the ambassador that the safety of Chinese nationals in Pakistan remains a top priority, and Pakistan will continue working closely with China to ensure the security of Chinese citizens, projects, and institutions. Minister Iqbal appreciated the recent visit of the Chinese Premier to Pakistan, emphasizing the need for concrete mechanisms to ensure smooth implementation of bilateral projects. Both sides deliberated on advancing key projects, including the Karachi-Hyderabad section of Main Line-1 (ML-1) and Karakoram Highway (Thakot-Raikot Section) project, and agreed to accelerate the projects’ timely execution. Regarding the Gwadar Port and Free Zone, both sides expressed a mutual commitment to ensuring the continued development of Gwadar in a holistic manner. Ambassador Jiang Zaidong expressed gratitude for Pakistan’s comprehensive engagement and stated” during the visit of the Prime Minister of Pakistan to China in June, 2024, leadership of both countries agreed to promote cooperation in the areas of Politics, international affairs, pragmatic projects and security”. “ Ambassador Jiang Zaidong said, Chinese side is ready for collaboration in areas of agriculture, mines & mineral, industrial cooperation on priority basis, reiterated that to further strengthen the security of Chinese personnel and projects in Pakistan. Prof Iqbal highlighted the importance of convening the joint working groups meetings. Minister Iqbal further added “Ministry of Planning holds a fortnightly CPEC progress review meetings with all federal and provincial stakeholders to ensure smooth implementation of CPEC projects”. The Minister also stated that the Ministry of Planning is in coordination with the National Development and Reform Commission of China to arrange high-level workshops for bringing together experts from both sides to outline the future direction of CPEC Phase 2. This initiative aims to define the specific goals and scope of CPEC’s “five corridors” and align them with, “Eight Points Roadmap of BRI”, and “5Es Framework of Pakistan”. Both sides reaffirmed that China and Pakistan remain all-weather friends, committed to strengthening their historic partnership through continued collaboration and strategic engagement.

Islamabad Set to Have State-of-the-Art Jinnah Medical Complex with Model Facilities The #JinnahMedicalComplex, a state-of-the-art #healthcare facility designed to revolutionize healthcare standards in #Islamabad, is set to be established with a total estimated cost of Rs. 120 billion. The master plan for this landmark project includes a Center of Excellence, Diagnostic and Treatment Podium, Student Housing, Academic Podium, Academic and Research Towers, Physical Plant, Grid Station, Auditorium, Mosque, Emergency Department, and a hotel to cater to the needs of medical tourism and patients. Planning Minister Prof. Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary chaired a high-level meeting to review the progress of the project. The meeting was attended by Health Coordinator Dr. Mukhtar, Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Chief Health, DC Health, senior officers from the Capital Development Authority (CDA), and other senior officials. During the meeting, Prof. Iqbal stressed the importance of completing the project within the three-year timeframe set for its development. He highlighted the necessity of a stringent selection process for hiring qualified staff and credible contractors to ensure the project’s successful completion. To further strengthen efficiency and transparency, the Minister directed that the project be executed under the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) mode rather than through regular budgeting. The government has allocated Rs. 5 billion for the fiscal year 2024-2025 under the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) to kickstart the project. The CDA has earmarked 200 kanals of commercial land in Sector H-16 for the Jinnah Medical Complex. Speaking at the meeting, Prof. Iqbal highlighted that the project’s strategic location in Islamabad, near the airport and national highways, makes it an ideal hub for regional and international medical tourism. A steering committee has been established to oversee the project’s progress and ensure that all timelines and milestones set forth by the Prime Minister are met. Prof. Iqbal further emphasized that the Jinnah Medical Complex must incorporate green design principles, ensuring that it stands as a sustainable and environmentally friendly structure. The proposed health complex is envisioned as a monumental project for the capital city, featuring a self-contained vertical health tower with comprehensive medical services. To further enrich the project, Prof. Iqbal instructed the inclusion of vice chancellors from two prominent Pakistani medical universities to provide their expertise. Regular consultative sessions will be held to track progress and ensure the smooth execution of activities, thereby guaranteeing the successful implementation of the project. The groundbreaking ceremony for the Jinnah Medical Complex was performed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan on July 21, 2024, marking a significant milestone in Pakistan’s journey toward a robust and modern healthcare system.

The Government of Pakistan launched the #HarpoHydropowerProject in Gilgit-Baltistan, signaling a major milestone in energy sustainability and regional resilience. Accompanying the Prime Minister at the groundbreaking ceremony, Planning Minister Prof. Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary highlighted the nation’s commitment to a sustainable and self-reliant energy future.

Planning Minister Prof. Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary accompanied Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to inaugurate a model village in Bubar, #GilgitBaltistan, aimed at providing permanent housing for flood-affected families. The village, featuring solar-powered homes, water supply, and road connectivity, is a significant step in building resilience and restoring livelihoods for the vulnerable.

Govt Determined to Fast-Track IT Park Islamabad Completion, Says Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal In a step towards enhancing Pakistan’s IT infrastructure, Planning Minister Prof. Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary chaired a high-level meeting today to review the progress of the IT Park Islamabad project. The meeting, co-chaired by Minister of IT Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, included the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Mr. Park Kijun, along with senior officials from the Ministries of Planning and IT. Speaking at the meeting, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal emphasized the Prime Minister’s vision for swift advancement of the project to transform Islamabad into a regional hub for IT innovation. He stressed the importance of parallel development strategies to ensure the project’s accelerated progress, setting the foundation for a sustainable digital economy in Pakistan. IT Park Islamabad is being developed in Islamabad, covering a substantial area of 66,893 square meters with two basements, a ground floor, and nine additional floors. It is being financed through a partnership between the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) of the Korean EXIM Bank and the Government of Pakistan’s Public Sector Development Program (PSDP). The project, valued at $88.384 million, includes $76.310 million from the Korean EXIM Bank as a loan, with the remaining $12.476 million funded through the PSDP. This state-of-the-art facility will provide comprehensive support to IT companies and startups, driving innovation and enabling Pakistan to compete in the global IT sector. Key features of the IT Park Islamabad include: The Islamabad IT Park would have 120 Office Spaces for IT and IT-enabled service companies an Incubation Center with 15 offices dedicated to supporting startups, Business Support Center providing legal, marketing, and financial services, Industry-Academia Linkage Center fostering collaboration between academia and the IT industry and Tier III Data Center with uninterrupted power supply In addition, the IT Park would also have R&D IT Labs, Auditorium, and Virtual Classrooms supporting research and training. Ambassador Park Kijun reiterated Korea’s commitment to collaborating closely with Pakistan on this landmark project. He noted Korea’s focus on establishing partnerships to support Pakistan’s IT sector and exploring avenues for IT product exports. In line with the vision of promoting education and innovation, Planning Minister Prof. Ahsan Iqbal proposed establishing Gandhara IT University in Taxila. As part of this initiative, Pakistan is prepared to offer free land for the university’s campus, welcoming one of Korea’s top universities to establish a presence in Pakistan. This endeavor seeks to revive the ancient legacy of Gandhara and transform Taxila into a modern center of learning, marking a new era for educational excellence in the region.