Pakistan is moving forward with a major satellite development project worth Rs. 37.19 billion after the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) recommended the PakSat-2 project to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for further consideration.
The project was among seven development schemes reviewed by the CDWP under the government’s Uraan Pakistan development agenda. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said strengthening Pakistan’s space program is an important part of the country’s broader development strategy.
The CDWP also approved a Rs. 3.62 billion project to establish a Geo-AI Development and Innovation Hub. The facility will focus on improving Pakistan’s geospatial capabilities and supporting innovation in the sector.
The forum approved a revised plan for establishing the Dr. Ashfaq Ahmad Khan Center in Basic Sciences. The project was initially approved in 2018 but remained incomplete due to land-related issues.
Ahsan Iqbal directed officials to revise the project’s scope to include emerging fields and update its cost according to current requirements. He noted that eight years had passed since the project was originally approved.
The minister also asked the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to identify universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and Balochistan where similar research centers could be established.
He further directed authorities to upgrade laboratories at five engineering universities and stressed the need for universities to play a stronger role in innovation, research, and the commercialization of academic work.
The CDWP separately approved a Rs. 5.01 billion project for commercial-scale olive cultivation. The initiative will expand olive plantations in Balochistan and the newly merged districts, while the Potohar region will also be assessed for its suitability.
Under the project, the government has set a target of developing one million acres of olive plantations.
The forum also approved Rs. 338.2 million for upgrading the high-frequency radio network used by WAPDA’s Water Resources Management Directorate.
Of the seven projects reviewed, five worth Rs. 21.59 billion were approved by the CDWP. Two projects with a combined estimated cost of Rs. 94.3 billion, including the PakSat-2 project, were forwarded to ECNEC for further consideration and approval.
