Pakistan is moving ahead with a major satellite 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 one of 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 center will focus on improving Pakistan’s geospatial capabilities and promoting innovation in the sector.
The forum also approved a revised plan to establish 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 issues.
Ahsan Iqbal directed officials to update the project’s scope to include emerging fields and revise its cost based on current requirements. He said eight years had passed since the project was originally approved.
The minister also directed 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 that universities should play a greater 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 project 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 to upgrade the high-frequency radio network used by WAPDA’s Water Resources Management Directorate.
Of the seven projects reviewed, the CDWP approved five with a combined cost of Rs. 21.59 billion. Two projects, including the PakSat-2 project, with a combined estimated cost of Rs. 94.3 billion, were forwarded to ECNEC for further consideration and approval.
