August 21, 2008	Thursday	Sha'aban 18, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Aug 20: The Ministry of Finance and the Planning Commission are working out a framework to identify, evaluate and develop infrastructure projects under public-private partnership, says Minister for Finance and Privatisation Syed Naveed Qamar.

Presiding over a meeting of the board of directors of the Infrastructure Project Development Facility (IPDF) here on Wednesday, he said that public-private partnership was an essential option for infrastructure development to augment government’s efforts and resources for development.

He said the structured programme and framework would help private sector’s participation in infrastructure projects.

The minister expressed the hope that coordinated efforts being made by the Planning Commission, Ministry of Finance and the IPDF would boost development of infrastructure.

Mr Qamar also said that regional and global experiences demonstrated that public-private partnership was imperative to revitalise and restructure national economy. “We are committed to the principles of value for money and affordability for delivery of more, better, affordable and faster service to the people of Pakistan,” he added.

“There is an urgent need to identify projects which can be launched under the public-private partnership modality to relieve the burden on the public sector in the immediate term,” he said.

The minister said the public-private partnership could not be accomplished without the support of all stakeholders, including various government agencies, departments, private sector and, most importantly, the people of Pakistan.

Adviser to PM on Public-private Partnership Ghulam Murtaza Satti, IPDF board members Dr Sania Nishtar, Salim Raza and Suhail Safdar, Planning Commission Secretary Farrakh Qayyum and Secretary Finance Aamir Qawi attended the meeting.

Mr Satti informed the meeting that a number of initiatives were under way, including environment-friendly public transport (CNG bus) service, Islamabad IT Park, multi-purpose water reservoirs, FBR automation project, etc. He expected more foreign investments in infrastructure projects under public-private partnership programme.