Daily Times

Sir: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is one of the major development partners of Pakistan, as well as its biggest province, Punjab. A five-member ADB delegation headed by its Country Director for Pakistan, Xiaohong Yang recently called on Punjab Chief Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif in Lahore the other day and exchanged views with him regarding ongoing development projects, particularly those launched with ADB collaboration in different sectors in the province.

According to news reports, the two sides agreed to further extend mutual cooperation and assistance in different sectors. These include both public and private partnership based projects.

On the occasion, the chief minister said that a number of development projects are being completed in collaboration with the ADB in different sectors throughout the province, including irrigation and energy sectors. ADB is providing $500 million in funding irrigation and energy sectors projects.

The Chief Minister further said that that the Greater Thal Canal and Greater Cholistan Canal projects will also be completed with ADB funding, water reservoirs will also be developed in the outback of Cholistan to save canal and flood water , the vast expanse of Cholistan will be made lush green and cultivable though Water Resource Management Projects. The CM said Cholistan will be developed as a green basket not only for Punjab, but for the whole of Pakistan as well and contacts with the Gulf States will also be further improved by providing different facilities in the desert area, including an airport.

During his exchange of views with the ADB delegation, the CM has quite rightly highlighted his priorities for undertaking development works in different fields with the prime minister of welfare and well-being of the people serving whom without any discrimination is his mission which he is trying hard to accomplish sincerely.

MZ RIFFAT

Lahore

Published in Daily Times, February 10^th 2018.