Islamabad: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved nine schemes costing PKR 80.2 bn, including two projects related to the construction of the Rawalpindi-Kahuta Road, according to a news report. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbassi chaired the ECNEC meeting, the council being the highest project sanctioning authority in Pakistan.
Six out of these nine projects were not part of the original ECNEC agenda published last week and had been added in this meeting. A press statement by the PM’s office stated that ‘construction, land acquisition, affected properties compensation, and relocation of utilities for dualisation of Rawalpindi-Kahuta Road including a 4-lane bridge over Sihala Railway Pass at a total rationalised cost of PKR 13.1 bn’ had been approved by ECNEC. Other approved projects included a scheme for the upgrade of NTDC’s telecommunication system, the Southern Punjab Poverty Alleviation Fund, and construction of the Northen Bypass of Dera Ghazi Khan.
