Pakistan’s Ministry of Railways is nearing a breakthrough for the financing of the Main Line-1 (ML-1) project, specifically the Karachi–Rohri section. In a high-level meeting chaired by Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal on Monday, February 16, 2026, officials confirmed that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is expected to lead the financing for this critical infrastructure segment.
The $2 billion project is seen as the “backbone” of Pakistan’s transport network, facilitating nearly 80% of passenger traffic and 90% of freight.
Financing Breakdown for Karachi–Rohri Section
The total cost for this 480km segment is estimated at $2 billion. The funding structure currently being finalized involves a consortium of multilateral lenders:
+1
| Lender | Expected Contribution | Status |
| Asian Development Bank (ADB) | $1.2 Billion | Advanced stage of negotiations. |
| AIIB & EIB | $0.8 Billion | Discussions ongoing via ADB coordination. |
| Groundbreaking Goal | July 2026 | Groundwork expected to begin from Karachi Port. |
Strategic Coordination with China
While multilateral banks are funding the first phase, the government is coordinating closely with Beijing for the remaining sections of the $7 billion project (extending to Peshawar).
- Financing Roadmap: Minister Ahsan Iqbal has directed a detailed roadmap for sections beyond Rohri to be shared with the Pakistani Embassy in Beijing for consultation with Chinese authorities.
- Consortium Model: Pakistan and China have agreed to a “multilateral partner” model, bringing in third-party participation (like ADB) to ease the financial burden while maintaining Chinese technical involvement.
My recent article published In minute mirror “state-owned enterprises and economy” regarding the PIA privatization and Pakistan railway system. Full article can be read on https://t.co/guKbtTZrFh#PIA #privatization #GovernmentofPunjab #article #minutemirror #goldenring #LCCI pic.twitter.com/dwTg2RIugg
— Amir Alex (@AAlex18503) December 29, 2025
The New Monitoring Dashboard
To ensure transparency and prevent the “bottlenecks” that delayed the project for nearly a decade, the National Information Technology Board (NITB) is launching a Digital CPEC Dashboard.
- Launch Timeline: To be fully operational within 15 days.
- Key Features: Real-time tracking of decisions, timeline monitoring for focal persons, and a comprehensive record of Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meetings.
- Goal: Allow the Planning Ministry to monitor implementation issues across all energy and transport projects digitally.
You May Also Like: Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi Seek IHC Suspension of Toshakhana-2 Sentences
Data Center & Security Updates
The meeting also addressed peripheral CPEC-related developments:
- Fauji Foundation Data Centre: A new data center project is being developed in collaboration with ZTE (China).
- Security Waivers: The federal government has requested the Punjab Government to waive Special Protection Unit (SPU) charges for foreigners working on non-CPEC projects, as these costs are currently being absorbed by the public exchequer under standard Interior Ministry SOPs.
Check out our latest video:
