Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa visited Frontier Works Organization (FWO) headquarters on Wednesday.

The visit started with tribute of COAS to FWO martyrs at Yadgar-e-Shauhada. Later, DG FWO Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal briefed the COAS on FWO’s ventures at both national and international level. The briefing encompassed organizational structure of FWO, its vision and developmental strategy in the domain of national development.

COAS was informed that FWO has so far completed over 15,000 km roads across Pakistan while 1,363 kms of roads were under construction. Currently FWO is working on mega projects including Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway (M-9), Karachi-Thatha Dual Carriageway, Swat Expressway, Lahore Ring Road, Lahore Sialkot Motorway, Hakla to DI Khan (Package-III) road along with miscellaneous other road projects in Balochistan and FATA. Work on Karachi Bulk Water Supply Scheme (K-IV) is also in advance stages and water shortages of Karachi will considerably be addressed.

COAS was also informed that FWO has been significantly contributing to address the water and energy security of the country. FWO has recently completed GomalZam Dam while work on KurramTangi Dam and Jagharn II hydropower project has commenced. FWO has also been awarded three hydropower projects in KP and has also aligned itself with WAPDA to significantly contribute towards development of Indus-Cascade dams and hydropower projects.

DG FWO further briefed the COAS about the efforts put in by FWO in launching of First Ever Mega Trade Convoy in November 2016, thus contributing towards operationalization of CPEC in an earlier timeframe. FWO’s future business mega ventures were also presented along with efforts being made to enhance strategic connectivity. FWO’s role in development of mining sector was also part of the briefing.

The COAS was informed that efforts were being put in to optimally harness mining sector’s potential. The COAS was informed that FWO has established itself as a reputed construction company in UAE and Afghanistan while projects in Sri Lanka and Maldives are also being perused.