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KARACHI, Dec 05 (APP):Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has announced that the Ghotki–Kandhkot Road and Bridge Project connecting Sindh, Punjab, and Balochistan, on which the halted work has been resumed, will be inaugurated in June 2027.
He took this decision while presiding over the 49th PPP Policy Board meeting, in which he revised timelines of the project, construction progress, cost escalations, and security challenges.
The meeting, held at the Chief Minister’s House, was attended by Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho, Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro, Works & Services Minister Ali Hassan Zardari, Special Assistant to CM for Investment Syed Qasim Naveed, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, PSCM Agha Wasif, Chairman P&D Najam Shah, MPA Ghulam Qadir Chandio, DR Sarosh Lodhi, and other members of the Board.
The Chief Minister was briefed on the project’s implementation history, cost, and the findings of the Technical Committee.
The Ghotki–Kandhkot Bridge Project was initiated by the Works & Services Department, with the Concession Agreement signed in May 2018. The initial hydraulic design was approved by the Indus River Commission (IRC) for a three-kilometre bridge length, and construction began in August 2020.
Following the devastating 2022 floods, the IRC, observed that bridges constructed bank-to-bank were resilient and allowed floodwaters to pass smoothly, while those not bank-to-bank caused pressure on flood protection embankments and increased lag times. Therefore, the IRC mandated that all future bridges over the River Indus be constructed bank-to-bank. Consequently, the Ghotki–Kandhkot Bridge length increased from three km to 12.2 km, requiring major revisions in scope, timeline, and cost, and amended agreements were signed in 2023.
The project cost stands at Rs32 billion, with scheduled substantial completion in June 2029.
The Sindh government shall ensure safe law & order at the project site for early completion by June 2027. Despite adverse security challenges in the katcha area, construction has progressed steadily. As of November 2025, segments one and two are nearing completion, while segments three and four have significant work done on piling, shaft construction, and transom installation. Overall progress is 54 per cent in piling, 49 per cent in shafts, and 47 per cent in transoms. Financial close with leading commercial and Islamic banks will be achieved by early December 2025.
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah reaffirmed the bridge’s strategic importance, describing it as “a vital lifeline that will open new economic corridors for upper Sindh.” He instructed the Works & Services, Home, and Finance departments to ensure uninterrupted execution and warned against any further delays.
“We will inaugurate the Ghotki–Kandhkot Bridge in June 2027,” he said. “This project is not just infrastructure – it is a promise to the people of Sindh, and we will deliver.”
On Health Sector PPP initiatives, the PPP Policy Board reviewed major Health Department projects to strengthen service delivery, introduce advanced medical technologies, and ensure continuity of critical healthcare services.
The Board extensively discussed the proposed Plasma Fractionation Facility project, a flagship initiative by the Health Department through the Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority (SBTA). This will establish Pakistan’s first Plasma Fractionation Facility under a PPP modality for the domestic production of Plasma-Derived Medicinal Products (PDMPs), which are currently fully imported.
PDMPs including Albumin, Immunoglobulins (IVIG/SCIG), and essential coagulation factors for Haemophilia A and B are critical for treating cancers, marrow transplants, immune deficiencies, bleeding disorders, trauma, burns, and major surgeries. Despite growing demand, Pakistan lacks an indigenous PDMP manufacturing facility, a communique said.
The Health Department’s RBC Project under the PPP mode will supply a large volume of plasma to the Fractionation Facility.
The Chief Minister noted that the recently notified National Blood Transfusion & Blood Products Policy 2025-30 has created a favourable environment for attracting credible international investors. Several global companies have already shown interest in establishing such a facility in Karachi.
After deliberation, the PPP Policy Board approved Project Concept and Project Development Facility (PDF) funding to hire transaction advisors for feasibility studies and transaction advisory services.
The Chief Minister emphasised that the project will reduce import dependency, save foreign exchange, enhance patient safety through local traceability systems, generate jobs, and potentially enable exports of PDMPs in the future.