ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Special Initiatives convened at Parliament House to assess the status of Uraan Pakistan, focusing on its progress against established targets and the integration of accessibility in development planning.

According to Senate of Pakistan, the meeting, chaired by Senator Quratulain Marri, featured a briefing by the Secretary of the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives. The discussions included Uraan Pakistan’s long-term vision up to 2035, the 13th Five-Year Plan, and specific plans for fiscal year 2026-27. Officials provided insights into key economic indicators such as GDP growth, investment, inflation, exports, IT exports, and the debt-to-GDP ratio with respect to targets set for fiscal year 2028-29.

The Committee inquired about the current account balance and the achievement of targets under Uraan Pakistan. Officials attributed the shortfall to increased workers’ remittances and projected an alignment of the current account balance with targets in the forthcoming years.

Attention was also given to major railway projects, including ML-1, the connectivity between Rohri and Nawabshah, and the proposed Gwadar railway linkage. Questions were raised by Senator Shahadat Awan regarding the progress and negotiations in line with the Prime Minister’s directives. Awan emphasized the need for a clear timeline and tangible progress on these projects.

Additionally, the Committee was briefed on the connectivity of Thar coal with Port Qasim, with officials indicating that project completion is expected by year’s end. Universal accessibility and inclusivity were also discussed, with revisions to the PC-I Proforma aimed at incorporating these considerations into development projects. The Committee acknowledged the successful integration of its recommendations from the previous year into policy-level improvements.

The meeting was attended by Senators Shahadat Awan, Saadia Abbasi, Manzoor Ahmed, and Jam Saifullah Khan, along with the Secretary of Planning and other relevant officials.