Islamabad: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has reaffirmed its commitment to the ML-1 Karachi-Rohri project, with Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema directing the Ministry of Railways to expedite the documentation process. This move is aimed at ensuring the project’s timely implementation and securing ADB funding in the coming fiscal year.

According to Radio Pakistan, Minister Cheema led a high-level meeting where the project’s implementation framework was reviewed, and measures were outlined to speed up progress. The Minister emphasized the importance of completing procedural requirements quickly to align with the funding timeline. The ML-1 project is expected to enhance freight movement and strengthen railway services across the nation.

The government is also engaging with other development partners to support the remaining sections of the ML-1 corridor, with an aim to finalize agreements for the entire Karachi-to-Peshawar route. ADB Country Director Emma Fan praised the collaborative efforts of the Economic Affairs Division and the Ministry of Railways. She confirmed the bank’s dedication to facilitating the documentation process and reducing review times to ensure the project proceeds without delay.