A high-level delegation of the World Bank visited the Head Office of Punjab Municipal Development Fund Company (PMDFC) in Lahore. The delegation comprised Mr. David Michaud, Practice Manager, Water, World Bank; Mr. Carlo Alberto, Water Specialist; and Mr. Farhan Samiullah, Water Specialist. Managing Director PMDFC, Syed Zahid Aziz, along with senior officials of the company, welcomed the delegation and provided a detailed briefing on PMDFC’s performance, ongoing development initiatives, and progress under the Punjab Inclusive Cities Program (PICP).During the briefing, Syed Zahid Aziz informed the delegation that water supply, sewerage, and drainage projects are underway in 16 cities of Punjab under the World Bank-supported Punjab Inclusive Cities Program. The primary objective of the program is to improve the provision of safe drinking water, sanitation, and drainage services to urban communities. He highlighted that innovative construction technologies are being introduced to ensure the sustainability, quality, and timely completion of infrastructure projects. These include the use of precast manholes and HDPE-lined sewerage pipes. Additionally, the program envisages the construction of wastewater treatment plants and underground water storage tanks in 14 cities.The Managing Director further informed the delegation that, for the first time in Punjab’s municipal services sector, a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model is being introduced for the delivery of essential urban services. Under this initiative, water supply and sewerage projects in Kasur and Chakwal will be implemented in collaboration with the private sector, with an estimated investment of approximately PKR 20 billion. In this regard, a Transaction Advisory Agreement has already been signed with the International Finance Corporation (IFC).Syed Zahid Aziz also shared that seven consultancy firms have been engaged under the program at costs 15 percent below the estimated budget, resulting in significant savings of public resources. The selected firms include Korean and Turkish companies, which will contribute their technical expertise to the design and supervision of infrastructure projects.During the visit, the World Bank delegation also held meetings with representatives of the Design and Supervision (D&S) consultancy firms working on Packages I and II of the Punjab Inclusive Cities Program. Discussions focused on project designs, technical considerations, and various aspects of project implementation.
High-Level World Bank Delegation Visits PMDFC to Review Progress of Punjab Inclusive Cities Program
