KARACHI: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday approved the restructuring of the provincial Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Unit into a private limited company, seeking to build a more autonomous and investment-oriented institution for the next phase of development in Sindh.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by the chief minister at the CM House, which was attended, among others, by Special Assistant to the CM on Investment Syed Qasim Naveed, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Planning and Development Board Chairman Najam Shah, Finance Secretary Fayaz Jatoi, Transport Secretary Asad Zamin and other senior officials.

According to a statement issued by the CM House, the meeting was briefed that Sindh’s PPP programme had emerged as Pakistan’s leading sub-national initiative, with a portfolio spanning roads and bridges, transport, economic zones, information technology, energy, water, livestock, education, health and environment.

Officials told the meeting that the programme had received international recognition at forums including the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) PPP Forum and The Asset Infrastructure Awards.

Transformation will remove operational bottlenecks, retain specialised professionals and ensure continuity in project development and implementation, meeting told

They said that the province’s PPP model was ranked sixth in Asia by The Economist in 2018. The provincial unit has also provided technical and legal support to other provinces for strengthening their PPP frameworks.

The meeting was told that converting the unit into a company would enable it to assist procuring agencies more effectively, strengthen departmental PPP nodes, formulate policies and guidelines, build capacity, and monitor portfolio performance.

The CM directed that the transformation be pursued to remove operational bottlenecks, retain specialised professionals and ensure continuity in project development and implementation. He stressed the need for an institution capable of providing timely technical, financial and legal support to departments and implementing agencies.

The meeting was told that the existing unit faced difficulties retaining skilled staff due to limited competitive compensation and incentives. The absence of dedicated project implementation units and project directors in some departments was also affecting the pace and quality of delivery.

Under the proposed structure, the PPP Private Limited Company will have greater commercial flexibility to undertake strategic activities, make equity investments where required, mobilise capital through financial instruments, and support project financing. It will also be able to develop diversified revenue streams beyond government funding, subject to board approval and oversight.

The chief minister said that the new company must operate under robust governance, transparent performance reviews and clear statutory oversight. He directed that PPP nodes in provincial departments be strengthened and competent officers empowered so that projects are processed efficiently without compromising accountability.

The meeting concluded that the restructuring would improve administrative efficiency, facilitate innovative financing, enhance investor confidence and accelerate project delivery.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2026