CM, ADB country head discuss progress of development projects

KARACHI, Nov 20 (APP): Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, in his meeting with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) delegation led by Emma Fan, Country Director (ADB) Pakistan Resident Mission here Thursday, reviewed the progress of ADB-funded development projects in the province and discuss future cooperation in major sectors, including transport, infrastructure, urban development, and climate resilience.
At the outset of the meeting, the Asian bank country head told the chief minister that the Coastal Development project was at the final stage of its approval and six new projects of the province worth $75 million were in the pipeline.
The Chief Minister was assisted by Senior Minister for Transport Sharjeel Memon, Minister for Planning and Development Jam Khan Shoro, Chief Secretary Sindh Asif Hyder Shah, Secretary Raheem Shaikh, Chairman P&D Najam Ahmad Shah, Secretary Transport Asad Zamin and others. Ms Fan was accompanied by Asad Aleem, Deputy Country Director, Khayyam Sohail Abbasi, Country Programs Officer, Hamid Khan, Project Officer; and Adnan Ali, Project Officer.
During the meeting, the delegation reviewed key initiatives, including the Karachi BRT Red Line Project, urban mobility improvements, infrastructure modernization, and programs aimed at strengthening resilience against climate shocks. The discussion included updates on financing needs, institutional strengthening, project performance, and timelines for the completion of major components.
Senior Minister of Transport and Information told the meeting that the bottlenecks in the BRT Redline have been removed with the intervention of the chief minister and the halted work has been resumed.
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah assured the ADB team of the provincial government’s commitment to accelerate implementation and address bottlenecks. He said, “Sindh values ADB as a long-standing and reliable development partner. We are committed to resolving implementation challenges and ensuring that all ADB-supported projects achieve their full potential for the people of Sindh.” Shah added, “Projects related to urban transport, water, climate resilience and infrastructure are essential for improving the quality of life in Karachi and other cities. My government is closely monitoring progress and will extend every support needed for timely completion.”
ADB Country Director Emma Fan expressed appreciation for the Sindh government’s engagement and reaffirmed ADB’s support for ongoing and future initiatives.
She said the Sindh Government has demonstrated strong ownership of ADB-supported programs.
Emma Fan also stressed the importance of meeting performance benchmarks, enhancing institutional capacity – particularly within TransKarachi for the BRT system – and addressing safeguards and community concerns promptly. “ADB is ready to consider loan extensions and additional financing based on improved performance and compliance. We encourage the province to maintain momentum so that key development objectives can be achieved within agreed timelines,” she added.
Both sides agreed to maintain close coordination in the coming months, particularly on issues related to financing, project restructuring where needed, community grievance redressal, safeguard compliance, and capacity strengthening of implementing agencies.
The Chief Minister thanked the ADB delegation for their continued support and expressed confidence that the partnership would further deepen through mutual cooperation and shared development goals.