Sir: The Manila headquartered Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Pakistan have agreed to chart new paths to pursue more robust and inclusive ADB investments in the country. This is to be done by setting up Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to tap private sector resources and meet the rising infrastructure development needs. This, in a nutshell, was the initial outcome of the three-day ADB Country Programming and Public-Private Partnerships in Pakistan, which got underway at Bhurban near Islamabad the other day. ADB Country Director for Pakistan, Xiaohong Yang and Director of ADB’s Office of Public-Private Partnerships, Takeo Koike, according to the reports, have underscored the bank’s continued commitment to support Pakistan in its pursuit of development goals outlined in the ADB-Pakistan country partnership strategy. Closer coordination and consultation between the bank and its partners was called for to ensure better and smarter investment programmes. Ms Xiaohong Yang duly appreciated the efforts of the Punjab and Sindh governments for developing their investment frameworks to provide an enabling environment for the private sector’s investment in infrastructure. It needs to be said that the private sector responded positively and this augurs well for the success of PPP modalities in both these provinces. ADB is already providing 200 million dollars in loans, 100 million dollars to each of the two provinces, for projects supporting PPPs. The investment being made is to augment and assist the provincial government’s efforts to increase the commercial viability of the projects as well as to mobilise more private sector participation in PPPs projects. ADB is one of Pakistan’s leading development partners. Pakistan’s relations with the ADB have always remained trouble and tension free, as the bank authorities provide resources and ensure proper, effective and timely utilisation for completion of the projects in various sectors. MUHAMMAD MURTAZA ZEESHAN Lahore Published in Daily Times, May 16th 2018.