Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has approved two significant public-private partnership (PPP) projects: a desalination plant to provide drinking water for the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and a 17-story technology park at NED University. These decisions were finalized in the 46th PPP Policy Board meeting.
The desalination plant, to be managed by the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC), will follow a design-build-finance-operate-transfer (DBFOT) model. A company based in Kuwait has shown interest in partnering on the project, while DHA has agreed to purchase the water produced. The plant is expected to generate up to 46 million gallons per day (MGD) of clean drinking water, with plans underway to make the water prices affordable for consumers.
In addition to the desalination plant, the Sindh government has also committed to developing the NED Science and Technology Park. This 17-story technology hub is being constructed under a government-to-government (G2G) agreement and has already received Rs1.7 billion in funding from the Sindh government. The project is set to break ground by the end of November, with a target to complete construction in about two years.
These projects reflect Sindh’s efforts to address essential needs like clean water and technological advancement. The desalination plant will help meet water demands in DHA, while the tech park at NED University aims to create a space for innovation, fostering technological growth and research in the province.
