Search form

You are here

  • Home
  • Pakistan mulls ADB role in CPEC’s flagship Main Line‑1 railway upgrade


Pakistan mulls ADB role in CPEC’s flagship Main Line‑1 railway upgrade

This file photograph, released by Pakistan Railways on August 28, 2022, shows the exterior of one of the passenger coaches Pakistan received from China in 2022. (Photo courtesy: Pakistan Railways/File)
Short Url

https://arab.news/2thmz

Updated 19 July 2025
Follow

Pakistan mulls ADB role in CPEC’s flagship Main Line‑1 railway upgrade

  • An ADB fact-finding team inspected the 480-kilometer Karachi–Rohri track on Saturday
  • Officials say the ADB is yet to take any decision while calling China the main financier
Updated 19 July 2025
Ismail Dilawar

KARACHI: Pakistan is considering financial support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the long-delayed Main Line‑1 (ML‑1) railway upgrade — part of the China‑Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) — as an ADB fact-finding team inspected a section of the track on Saturday, according to an official statement.

ML‑1, a $6.7 billion upgrade of Pakistan’s 1,687-kilometer Karachi–Peshawar rail artery, is central to CPEC. The overhaul, involving track doubling, advanced signaling and higher-speed trains, is expected to boost cargo and passenger capacity while easing the transport of trade goods to and from the country’s southern ports.

“Experts from the Asian Development Bank inspected the Karachi to Rohri railway line today,” Pakistan Railways said in a statement. “The Bank’s Chief Transport Planner, Sangyoon Kim, conducted the 480-kilometer track inspection alongside the chief engineer (open lines) of Pakistan Railways.”

“ADB’s fact-finding specialists will prepare a report on the readiness of the Main Line-1 (ML-1) project, following which a final decision regarding the project’s financing will be made,” the statement added.

ML‑1 underpins Pakistan’s main rail connectivity, carrying a major bulk of the country’s cargo and passenger traffic. The project was approved by the Economic Coordination Committee in 2020 but has repeatedly stalled amid funding hitches.

Speaking to Arab News, Babar Ali Raza, spokesperson at the railways ministry, said ADB was currently only preparing the feasibility.

“The main financier is China,” he continued. “The team conducting the inspection is assessing its own feasibility to determine whether ADB can provide financing or not.”

“This would be ADB’s own financing,” he added, “however much they want to contribute.”

Pakistan and China have described CPEC as a “game-changer” for growth. The corridor comprises multibillion-dollar infrastructure initiatives covering roads, energy and rail.

The two countries are also striving for regional connectivity, with Pakistan actively pursuing economic diplomacy in the neighborhood and offering its southern ports to landlocked Central Asian countries for global trade.

Topics: Pakistan Railway ML-1 railway project Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Pakistan, China discuss progress of CPEC projects, connectivity with Central Asia

Updated 6 sec ago
Follow

Pakistan, China discuss progress of CPEC projects, connectivity with Central Asia

  • CPEC is a major segment of China’s Belt and Road Initiative that aims to build land and maritime trade routes linking Asia with Africa and Europe
  • Pakistan Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal says connecting Central Asian states with CPEC will contribute to regional stability and economic cooperation
Updated 6 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has met China’s Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong and discussed progress of ongoing China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects and linking the corridor with Central Asian states for greater regional connectivity and economic stability, Pakistan’s Press Information Department (PID) said on Sunday.

Since 2013, Beijing has invested tens of billions of dollars in energy and infrastructure projects in Pakistan as part of CPEC, a major segment of China’s Belt and Road Initiative that aims to build land and maritime trade routes linking Asia with Africa and Europe.

In May, Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to the expansion of CPEC to Afghanistan after the recent trilateral meeting in Beijing, while Pakistani and Chinese leaders have invited Central Asian republics in recent years to join CPEC to enhance regional connectivity and economic cooperation.

At the meeting in Islamabad, both Pakistani and Chinese officials discussed the progress of ongoing CPEC projects and preparations for the upcoming Pakistan-China Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting, where key decisions are expected to be made.

“Connecting CPEC to Central Asian states will contribute to regional economic stability and economic cooperation,” Iqbal said as he reiterated his government’s commitment to ensuring security of CPEC projects, according to PID.

Despite massive Chinese investments, Pakistan has struggled to keep up its financial obligations regarding CPEC, while the undertaking has also been hit by militant attacks in recent years.

Iqbal previously said the two sides will hold the JCC meeting at the end of July, at which they will approve roadmap for CPEC’s Phase 2. The next phase would be based on five corridors, relating to growth, innovation, livelihoods, green energy, and open and inclusive development in the region, he told reporters at a briefing in Islamabad last month.

Speaking at Sunday’s meeting, he said the development of Gwadar port, which lies at the heart of CPEC in Pakistan’s Balochistan, and Special Economic Zones was top priority of his government.
“The government is committed to fully capitalizing on the port’s trade potential,” he said.

During the meeting, Ambassador Jiang reaffirmed China’s commitment to supporting Pakistan’s development efforts, according to PID.
“He assured that bilateral cooperation will continue to expand in the coming years,” it said.

Topics: Pakistan China Ties China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

Chinese firm eyes investment in Pakistan’s ICT, new energy sectors — ministry

Updated 33 min 2 sec ago
Follow

Chinese firm eyes investment in Pakistan’s ICT, new energy sectors — ministry

  • GuoDong Group expresses interest in building telecommunication towers, data centers and cloud computing infrastructure in Pakistan
  • IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja invites GuoDong Group officials to visit Pakistan for more detailed discussions, assures full support
Updated 33 min 2 sec ago
KASHIF IMRAN

ISLAMABAD: GuoDong Group, a leading Chinese communications firm, has expressed “strong interest” in investment in Pakistan’s information and communication technology (ICT) and new energy sectors, the Pakistani IT ministry said on Sunday.

The statement came after a meeting between Pakistan’s IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja and a three-member GuoDong Group delegation, led by its founder and chairman Lu Jie in Shanghai.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Global Artificial Intelligence Conference, at which both sides discussed investment opportunities in Pakistan, according to the Pakistani IT ministry.

“The delegation expressed strong interest in investing in Pakistan’s ICT sector, with a focus on telecommunication towers, data centers, and cloud computing infrastructure,” the Pakistani ministry said in a statement.

“Mr. Lu Jie also conveyed interest in expanding to new energy domains, including EV charging stations, smart city solutions, and advanced material manufacturing within Pakistan.”

The development comes as Pakistan, slowly recovering from a macroeconomic crisis under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal, has been looking to boost foreign investment for sustainable growth.

In May, the Pakistani government allocated 2,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity in the first phase of a national initiative to power cryptocurrency mining and Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centers. The South Asian country is also looking to build critical electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure as it targets 30 percent of all new vehicle sales to be electric by 2030 under its ambitious New Electric Vehicle Policy (NEVP) 2025–2030.

Welcoming the proposals, Khawaja invited the GuoDong Group officials to visit Pakistan for more detailed discussions with relevant stakeholders.

“She assured the delegation of the Government’s full support and facilitation to help realize these investment initiatives,” the IT ministry said.

Topics: Shaza Fatima Khawaja GuoDong Group Pakistan China Ties

At least five arrested as Pakistan widens crackdown on illegal currency exchange, transfers

Updated 27 July 2025
Follow

At least five arrested as Pakistan widens crackdown on illegal currency exchange, transfers

  • The development comes days after a senior ISI official met exchange company representatives, amid concern over rupee’s depreciation
  • Pakistan operates a multi-tiered currency market, with rates diverging between official interbank channel, open market and ‘grey market’
Updated 27 July 2025
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested five suspects involved in illegal currency exchange and transfer of money, the agency said on Sunday, amid a widening crackdown on black market currency traders.

The development comes days after the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s powerful military-run spy agency, held a meeting in Islamabad with senior officials from currency exchange companies, amid growing concern over the rupee’s depreciation, which fell to a 22-month low of Rs284.97 against the US dollar earlier this week.

Maj. Gen. Faisal Naseer, a deputy chief of the ISI, chaired the session, according to Malik Bostan, who attended the discussion and is the chairman of the Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan (ECAP), told Arab News. The FIA had begun raiding informal, unregulated money transfer, or ‘hundi’ and ‘hawala,’ operators and currency smuggling networks.

In a statement on Sunday, the agency said it was tightening the noose around networks involved currency smuggling and had conducted major operations in the southwestern Balochistan province that border Iran and Afghanistan.

“Five suspects involved in hawala, hundi and illegal currency exchange have been arrested,” the FIA said in a statement. “The suspects were arrested in raids in different areas of Quetta and Chaman.”

Pakistan operates a multi-tiered currency market, with rates diverging between the official interbank channel, the open market, and an unregulated “grey market” where many traders and informal hawala dealers operate.

Burdened by over $58 billion in imports in the last fiscal year, Pakistan faces severe inflationary pressure whenever the dollar strengthens. The rupee has lost 2 percent of its value since January, despite Pakistan’s current account recording a surplus of $2.1 billion, according to central bank data.

During the raids in Balochistan, the FIA said, officials seized 684,000 Pakistani rupees, 230.5 million Iranian rials, more than 135,000 Afghanis, 700 US dollars, 200 Saudi riyals and 150 Australian dollars.

“Cheque books, hawala-hundi receipts and bank deposit slips were also recovered from the suspects,” it said.

“The accused were involved in currency exchange without a license. They could not give a satisfactory answer to the authorities regarding the recovered currency.”

The agency said it was further investigating the arrested suspects.

Topics: Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) hawala system money laundering Currency Exchange

Pakistan to launch new remote-sensing satellite to monitor resources, boost disaster management

Updated 27 July 2025
Follow

Pakistan to launch new remote-sensing satellite to monitor resources, boost disaster management

  • The launch will mark a major milestone in Pakistan’s space program, significantly enhancing its Earth observation capabilities
  • In addition, the satellite will support national development initiatives by mapping transportation networks, identifying geo-hazards
Updated 27 July 2025
Hasaan Ali Khan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will be launching another remote-sensing satellite from a Chinese launch center next week to monitor resources and boost disaster management efforts, its space research commission SUPARCO announced on Sunday.

The launch of the satellite will mark a major milestone in Pakistan’s space program, significantly enhancing its Earth observation capabilities. It will support a wide range of national applications, including precision agriculture to boost crop yields, monitoring infrastructure growth and urban sprawl, and enabling regional planning, according to SUPARCO.

The satellite will strengthen disaster management efforts by providing timely warnings for floods, landslides, and earthquakes, while tracking glacier recession and deforestation. In addition, it will support national development initiatives by mapping transportation networks and identifying geo-hazard risks.

"The launch of this remote sensing satellite, along with its integration into Pakistan’s existing remote sensing fleet — including PRSS-1 (launched in July 2018) and EO-1 (launched in January 2025) — will further strengthen the country’s space-based infrastructure, aligning with the National Space Policy and SUPARCO’s Vision 2047, aiming to position our nation at the forefront of space technology and innovation," SUPARCO said in a statement.

The satellite, whose data acquisition capabilities under various environmental conditions make it a vital asset for environmental monitoring and resource management, will be launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC), China on July 31.

Pakistan has taken strides in its space research program in recent years months.

In January this year, China launched Pakistan’s indigenously developed Electro-Optical (EO-1) satellite into space from its Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, aiming to predict natural disasters and monitor resources, Chinese and Pakistani state media reported.

In Nov. last year, SUPARCO announced its rover will join China’s Chang’E 8 mission to explore the moon’s surface in 2028. Prior to that in May 2024, Pakistan launched its first lunar satellite aboard China’s Chang’e-6 probe, which was tasked with landing on the far side of the moon that perpetually faces away from the Earth. China was the first country to make such an ambitious attempt.

Topics: suparco Pakistan space mission satellite

Authorities seize 1,000 kilograms of donkey meat in Islamabad, arrest ‘foreign national’

Updated 27 July 2025
Follow

Authorities seize 1,000 kilograms of donkey meat in Islamabad, arrest ‘foreign national’

  • The seizure was made during a raid at a farmhouse in Islamabad’s Tarnol area, with authorities recovering 50 live donkeys as well
  • Official says the meat had been packed for ‘export to a neighboring country,’ more raids to be conducted to trace local facilitators
Updated 27 July 2025
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Local administration in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad has seized around 1,000 kilograms of donkey meat from an illegal slaughterhouse and arrested a “foreign national,” officials said on Sunday.

The seizure was made during a joint raid by the Islamabad Food Authority (IFA), local police and the Islamabad district administration on a farmhouse in Tarnol area, according to the IFA.

Fifty live donkeys were also recovered from the site and an IFA team was destroying the meat under the supervision of Deputy Director Dr. Tahira Siddique.

Police have lodged a case against the arrested foreign national, who had been running the operation, and are looking for his local facilitators.

“A foreign national was arrested at the site which has been sealed and an investigation is underway,” Muhammad Nasir Butt, a spokesperson for the Islamabad district administration, told Arab News.

“We will conduct further raids as per the findings of the investigation and efforts are also underway to trace local individuals involved.”

Butt said the meat had been packed for “export to a neighboring country.”

“So far, we have not found any traces of meat being used in the local restaurants, but administration is investigating the matter from multiple angles,” he added.

According to a police report seen by Arab News, the farmhouse had no authorization to process donkey meat or export live donkeys.

“Due to the absence of records for [processing] haram meat, and on the basis of its supply and sale, legal action shall be taken against concerned individuals under Sections 11, 12, 13, and 14 of the Islamabad Capital Territory Food Safety Act, 2021,” the report said.

Pakistan is frequently listed among countries with the highest number of donkey populations worldwide. The country’s donkey population rose to 6 million in fiscal year 2024-25, which ended in June, compared to 5.9 million in 2023–24, according to the latest economic survey.

In May this year, Pakistan Customs had foiled an attempt to smuggle donkey hides worth approximately Rs80 million (around $283,800) to China. The staff deployed on the Risk Management Profiling System of the Karachi Customs

Collectorate detected a container number SEGU-3154225 cleared from the South Asia Pakistan Port (SAPT) terminal in Karachi, whose export documents showed 285 packages of leather products were being sent to China.

The animal’s meat and hides are quite popular in China. Gelatin derived from donkey hides is highly sought after in China for its use in Ejiao, a traditional medicinal remedy. Several Chinese eateries sell donkey meat and burgers for consumption.

Dr. Siddique, who was part of the team that raided the farmhouse, said the availability of safe and quality food in Islamabad was the top priority of the IFA.

“We are enforcing a zero-tolerance policy against those who endanger public health,” she was quoted as saying by the IFA.

Topics: Islamabad Food Authority (IFA) donkey meat

Latest updates

Police terror probe after man detained off Glasgow flight
Counter-terrorism agents were investigating Sunday after a man was arrested off an easyJet flight as it arrived in Glasgow.(AFP)
England beat Spain on penalties in Women’s Euro 2025 final
Pakistan, China discuss progress of CPEC projects, connectivity with Central Asia
Chinese firm eyes investment in Pakistan’s ICT, new energy sectors — ministry
Bangladesh orders 25 Boeing planes as part of push to ease US tariffs

Search form

Print Edition
Read pdf version Subscribe now
© 2025 SAUDI RESEARCH & PUBLISHING COMPANY, All Rights Reserved And subject to Terms of Use Agreement.