ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif constituted a Steering Committee and four Working Groups (WGs) to address systematic implementation bottlenecks in development projects being funded by the World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB), well informed sources told Business Recorder . The PM took this decision while chairing the meeting titled “presentation by WB and ADB on project implementation issues and way forward.” Currently, the two international financial institutions are undertaking projects worth billions of dollars, with many projects facing different bottlenecks due to which projects are delayed and cost is increasing manifold. The Steering Committee will comprise the PM (Chair), Deputy PM, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Minister for Economic Affairs, Minister for Finance, Minister for Power, Minister for Water Resources, Minister for Communications, Heads of all Thematic WGs, Secretary Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Secretary Finance, Secretary Economic Affairs, Secretary Establishment, Secretary Law and Justice, Chief Secretaries of all provinces, Chairman Board of Revenue, Executive Director, WB, Mian Mushtaq Ahmed (retired) Federal Secretary and Jahanzeb Khan (retired) Federal Secretary. World Bank announces $400mn project to improve urban services and resilience in Pakistan The Terms and Reference (ToRs) of the Steering Committee are as follows: (i) to provide strategic oversight, policy direction and steer inter-governmental coordination; (ii) to constitute and supervise review and approve recommendations and KPIs of the Working Groups; (iii) to review and approve recommendations and KPIs of the Working Groups; (iv) to oversee implementation of reforms within approved timelines; and (v) to hold quarterly meetings to review progress. The Ministry of Economic Affairs will provide secretariat support of the Steering Committee. The composition of WG-1 are as follows: (i) Shahid Ashraf Tarar (retired) Federal Secretary (Convener); (ii) Hamid Yaqoob Sheikh; (iii) Secretary Planning, Development & Special Initiatives; (iv) Secretary, Economic Affairs Division (EAD); (v) Secretary Finance; (vi) representative, State Bank of Pakistan; (vii) Chairman P&D, Boards/Additional; (viii) Chief Secretaries P&D (all provinces); (ix) Zulfiqar Durrani (former ACS Balochistan); and (ix) Waqasul Hassan, CEO Karandaz. Terms of Reference: The WG shall: (i) review diagnostics and assessments of ADB/WB; (ii) provide recommendations to operationalise ECNEC (Oct 2020) decisions; (iii) de-layer, fast-track, and digitize federal and provincial administrative approvals; (iv) reduce repeat approval requirements; (v) ensure readiness financing and adequate preparation budgets; (vi) recommend delegation of HR decisions to provinces, PAOs, and PDs; (vii) draft time-bound KPIs; (viii) recommend reforms to laws and rules; and (ix) submit findings to Steering Committee within one month. The Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives shall provide secretariat support to the WG-1 on approvals and readiness. Composition of Working Group-II - Advance Procurement (Contract Awards): (i) Bilal Kiani, MoS Finance &Railways (Convener); (ii) Managing Director, PPRA (iii) Secretary Finance Division; (iv) Secretary, Planning, Development &Special Initiatives; (v) Secretary Power Division; (vi) Secretary, Water Resources Division; (vii) Secretary EAD; (viii) Account General, Pakistan Revenues (ix) Chairman, NHA; (x) MD PPRA; (xi) Provincial Finance Secretaries; (xii) Saeed Sultan; (xiii) Zubair. ADB approves $540mn financing to advance SOE reforms, coastal resilience in Pakistan Terms and Reference: The WG shall: (i) review diagnostics and assessments of ADB/WB; (ii) define processes for advance procurement to minimize financing contract award gaps; (iii) enable e-requirement and harmonize procurement rules across governments; (iv) streamline contract award processes; (v) develop guidelines for establishment of Procurement Cells; (vi) recommend legal/policy reforms; (vii) draft time-bound KPIs; and (vii) submit findings within one month. The Ministry of Finance shall provide secretariat support to the working group-II on procurement. Composition of WG-III: Minister for Law & Justice (Convener); (ii) Provincial Law Ministers (Punjab, Sindh, KP, Balochistan); (iii) Secretary, Power Division; (iv) Secretary Law & Justice Division; (v) secretary, EAD; (vi) Secretary Planning, Development & Special Initiatives; (vii) Secretary Water Resources; (viii) Chairman, WAPDA; (ix) Chairman, NHA; (x) Chairman, FBR; (xi) Senior Members, Boards of Revenue (all provinces); (xii) Jahanzeb Khan; (xiii) Mian Shaukat Shafi (ADB); and (iv) Daud Munir (Legal Expert) Terms of Reference of WG-III shall be: (i) to review diagnostics and assessments Of ADB/WB; (ii) to streamline and digitize land acquisition, compensation, resettlement, GRM processes; (iii) to make pre-acquisition planning and fund deposit mandatory; (iv) to establish independent valuation mechanisms; (v) to align national frameworks with MDBESF standards; (vi) to recommend amendments to Land Acquisition Act, 1894 and provincial rules; (vii) to propose mechanisms for areas lacking land records; (viii) to prepare capacity-building guidelines; (ix) to develop time-bound KPIs; and (x) to submit findings within one month. The Ministry of Law and Justice shall provide secretariat support to the working group-III on Land Acquisition and Resettlement Issues. Composition of WG-IV: (i) Minister for Power (Convener); (ii) Secretary, Establishment Division; (iii) Secretary, Planning, Development & Special Initiatives; (iv) Secretary, EAD; (v) Chief Secretaries (all provinces); (vi) Chairpersons, P&D Boards/ACs Development (all provinces); and (vii) Ali Sarfraz Ambassador WTO. Terms and Reference of WG-IV will be as follows: (i) review diagnostics and assessments of ADB/WB; (ii) recommend HR reforms, career progression structures, and service incentives for project staff; (iii) define frameworks to attract qualified professionals;(iv) update project pay scales and governance rules for Section 42 companies and SSUs; (v) delegate HR decision-making to PDs and provinces with accountability mechanisms; (vi) develop time-bound KPIs;( vii) propose legal and regulatory amendments and; (viii) submit findings within a month. The Ministry of Law and Justice shall provide secretariat support to the working Group-IV on Human Resource. The PM has directed that all WGs shall begin work immediately and comprehensive reports shall be submitted to the Steering Committee within one month. The Steering Committee shall review, approve, and monitor implementation. The EAD shall issue notifications regarding constitution of all bodies. He further directed that quarterly progress reports shall be submitted to the PM’s Office and necessary action shall be taken for compliance of the directions. Progress shall be shared with the PM’s Office accordingly. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025