ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, chairing an inter-ministerial meeting, reviewed progress on the implementation of decisions made by the Pak-Afghan Joint Economic Council in Nov last year.
The most significant projects, including CASA-1000, were discussed in the meeting.
The meeting was informed that issues like energy pricing and payment guarantees had been finalised at the working group’s meetings held in November-December last year.
Representatives of the ministry of communications gave input on the Torkham-Jalalabad Additional Carriageway, saying the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council had approved its revised cost and was processing the request for release of funds.
Officials of the ministry of railways briefed the meeting on the Chaman-Spin Boldak link project. They said that work on the project would be started in tandem with the construction of Kandahar-Spin Boldak section by Afghanistan.
A representative of the ministry of ports and shipping said that Afghan authorities had requested for trade facilitation and storage space at Pakistani ports.
He said there was ample storage space available at Port Qasim and more could be provided by the Port Qasim Authority on the monthly rental basis.
The minister praised the scholarship scheme introduced by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan for Afghan students.
The meeting was told that the HEC had arranged admission of 609 Afghan students with 524 being accommodated in public sector universities and 85 in private universities. Approximately 400 students had already joined their studies, officials said.
