Sindh marks three major PPP milestones with EnerTech: CM

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has stated that his government is setting new benchmarks in infrastructure development, energy, innovation, and environmental sustainability through strategic Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), as the province marked three major milestones with EnerTech Holding Company on Tuesday.

The ceremony organised to mark the Commercial Operations Date (COD) of the Nabisar–Vajihar Water Supply Project, the execution of the concession agreement for the NED Science & Technology Park, and the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the TP-IV Wastewater Treatment Project collectively; these projects represent investments exceeding $740 million at the CM House. Provincial ministers, Special Assistant to CM on Investment Syed Qasim Naveed, Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab, CEO EnerTech Holding Co., Kuwait Abdullah Al Mutairi, diplomats and others.

Speaking at a ceremony, Shah said, his initiatives under the PPP framework reflect Sindh’s “firm commitment to infrastructure development, energy security, innovation, environmental sustainability, and effective public-private collaboration.”

The ceremony was attended by provincial ministers, senior officials, representatives of EnerTech Holding Company, diplomats, bankers, financial and legal advisers, and representatives of national media organisations.

A $215 million water for Thar coal: Terming the Nabisar–Vajihar Water Supply Project a landmark achievement and one of the largest and most complex PPP schemes in Sindh’s history, the chief minister said the project would ensure a reliable and sustainable water supply to Thar coal power plants. “This project ensures a reliable and sustainable water supply to Thar coal power projects, directly supporting 1,650 megawatts of power generation and contributing to a reduction in the national cost of electricity,” he said.

The $215m project will supply 45 cusecs of water to Thar Block-I power plants. Implemented under a government-to-government PPP arrangement, it has attracted significant foreign direct investment, backed by close cooperation between the governments of Sindh and Kuwait.

Shah said Sindh possesses the world’s sixth-largest coal reserves in Thar, which had remained unutilised for decades. “Tharparkar has now surprised everyone. Today, the cheapest electricity in the world is being produced from Thar coal,” he claimed.

The CM recalled that water availability had been one of the biggest challenges for the Thar coal projects. “We consciously decided not to use river water, as it is already scarce. Instead, we developed an alternative solution,” he said, referring to the Nabisar–Vajihar scheme.

Despite global economic headwinds, including inflation, commodity price volatility and high interest rates, the project successfully achieved COD. The chief minister said this was “a testament to the resilience, professionalism and determination of all stakeholders involved”.

Shah congratulated CEO EnerTech Water (Pvt.) Ltd, Abdullah Al Mutairi, for completing the project within agreed timelines and achieving cost savings of over Rs7 billion, adding that the PPP framework had once again demonstrated its ability to mobilise private capital for critical public infrastructure.

NED Science & Technology Park: The chief minister said the execution of the concession agreement for the NED Science & Technology Park marked another historic milestone, as it would be Pakistan’s first university-based science and technology park developed under the PPP mode. With an estimated cost of $125m, the project aims to promote research commercialisation, technology transfer, start-up incubation and industry–academia collaboration. “Anchored at NED University, this project will position Sindh as a hub for the knowledge-based economy and create high-value employment opportunities,” the CM said.

Shah noted that the project, being undertaken with EnerTech, a subsidiary of the Kuwait government, had previously faced multiple hurdles, including regulatory constraints. “This project has been inaugurated several times before, but now it is final. Today, we are implementing the concession agreement,” he remarked, urging EnerTech to complete the scheme at the fastest possible pace. Murad Shah said that once operational, the technology park would offer facilities comparable to those in Silicon Valley. “After the establishment of the technology park, our young engineers will no longer need to go abroad for opportunities,” he added, noting that physical work would begin shortly after the formal launch.

TP-IV Wastewater Treatment Project: Discussing the importance of environmental sustainability, the chief minister said the TP-IV Wastewater Treatment Project, with an estimated cost exceeding $400m, would address a long-standing gap in Karachi’s wastewater management.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025