Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has approved a major shift toward public-private partnerships (PPP) for the construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance of roads, housing, and hostels across the province, officials said on Tuesday.
The provincial government has also given the go-ahead for a large infrastructure initiative covering 18 key provincial roads and 24 major agricultural, industrial, and urban corridors, aimed at improving connectivity and economic activity.
According to officials, the chief minister has directed the restoration of old water infrastructure, expansion of clean drinking water supply, and improvement of sewage systems throughout Punjab.
A key decision includes incorporating at least 30 percent projects in the 2026=27 Annual Development Programme under the PPP model, reflecting the government’s intention to increase private-sector participation in public infrastructure.
The decisions were finalized during the third review meeting on public-private partnerships, chaired by Senior Provincial Minister Maryam Aurangzeb, in line with the chief minister’s policy vision. The meeting directed departments to initiate projects in various sectors through collaboration between the public and private sectors.
The Punjab Public Private Partnership Authority briefed the meeting on major proposed projects related to road construction, water supply, and public amenities. Officials said modern systems, technology, machinery, and international best practices would be adopted for road construction, repair, and maintenance with private-sector support.
The briefing added that a modern toll collection mechanism would be introduced on highways, while travelers would benefit from improved road quality, reduced travel time, enhanced safety, and lower public expenditure.
The meeting also approved the dualization of the 150-kilometer Depalpur–Pakpattan–Vehari Road under a public-private partnership. In addition, a proposal to dualize the 100-kilometer Chiragh Abad–Jhang–Shorkot Road with private-sector collaboration received in-principle approval.
