Pakistan has taken another step toward developing the Rs. 37.19 billion PakSat-2 satellite after the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) recommended the project to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).
The project was among seven development schemes reviewed by the CDWP under the government’s Uraan Pakistan agenda. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said strengthening the country’s space program is an important part of the development initiative.
CDWP also approved a Rs. 3.62 billion project to establish a Geo-AI Development and Innovation Hub. The facility will focus on strengthening geospatial capabilities and promoting innovation in the sector.
In higher education, 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 could not be completed because of land-related problems.
The Planning Minister directed officials to revise the center’s scope to cover emerging areas and bring its cost in line with current requirements, pointing out that eight years had passed since its original approval.
He also asked the Higher Education Commission to identify universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan where similar centers could be established.
The minister called for laboratories at five engineering universities to be upgraded and stressed that universities should contribute more toward innovation and turning research into commercial applications.
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 potential.
The government has set a target of developing one million acres of olive plantations under the initiative.
The forum also approved Rs. 338.2 million to upgrade the high-frequency radio network used by WAPDA’s Water Resources Management Directorate.
Of the seven projects considered, five worth Rs. 21.59 billion were approved by the CDWP, while two projects with a combined cost of Rs. 94.3 billion, including PakSat-2, were forwarded to ECNEC for further consideration.
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