PM Shehbaz, ADB Vice President Yang review CPS 2026–30; stress early groundbreaking of ML‑1 railway

Islamabad: Report By Muhammad Saleem

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Friday hosted Asian Development Bank (ADB) Vice President for South, Central and West Asia, Yingming Yang, in a high-level breakfast meeting that reviewed Pakistan’s multi-decade development partnership with the lender and mapped priority interventions under the new Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) 2026–2030.
Welcoming Mr Yang on his first official visit to Pakistan in this capacity, the Prime Minister praised ADB’s “consistent professionalism and responsiveness” in delivering transformative urban infrastructure, transport and public-service projects across the country.  He said Pakistan had successfully navigated a difficult economic turnaround through rigorous fiscal, structural and governance reforms, restoring macroeconomic stability, reinforcing investor confidence and earning stable outlook upgrades from major rating agencies including Fitch, Moody’s and S&P.
A central focus of the talks was the modernization of the Main Line‑1 (ML‑1) railway corridor from Karachi to Peshawar, described as a vital national infrastructure priority.  Prime Minister Shehbaz underscored that upgrading ML‑1 is essential for modernizing freight logistics, strengthening regional trade connectivity and supporting major industrial initiatives, and stressed the need for an early groundbreaking of the project.
The meeting also explored expanded cooperation in support for the private sector, energy and food security, export competitiveness, as well as artificial intelligence and information technology.  It concluded with a mutual pledge to translate the strategic priorities of CPS 2026–2030 into concrete, high-impact results that drive sustainable growth and visibly enhance living standards in Pakistan.