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Aftab Maken
ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) on Tuesday approved a series of technical supplementary grants (TSGs) worth over Rs9.5 billion for key public sector projects, passport services, and security-related initiatives, while also extending gas supply arrangements for two major urea manufacturers to support fertilizer availability in the country.
The meeting of the ECC was chaired by Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb at the Finance Division in Islamabad.
According to an official statement, the committee approved a Technical Supplementary Grant of Rs2.19 billion for the NADRA-TDP-ERP/KP-CCSDP project under the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control. The funding will enable the continuation of operations under the World Bank-financed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Citizen-Centered Service Delivery Project.
The ECC also approved a Rs5 billion TSG for the Directorate General Immigration and Passports to clear outstanding liabilities related to the printing of passport booklets and ensure uninterrupted passport issuance services across the country.
In another decision, the committee approved adjustments in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2025-26 through a TSG of Rs2.12 billion for three development projects under the Interior Division. These include the construction of a Model Prison at H-16 Islamabad, the National Police Hospital Project, and the Foreign National Security Cell Dashboard and Allied Facilities project.
The committee further sanctioned Rs240.5 million for the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) to undertake repairs and maintenance of helicopters required for operational activities and anti-narcotics missions.
In a significant move for the agriculture sector, the ECC approved a summary from the Ministry of National Food Security and Research to continue gas supply arrangements for SNGPL-based urea manufacturing plants, Fatima Fertilizer and Agritech, until June 30, 2026.
Officials said the decision would help maintain domestic fertilizer production, ensure adequate urea availability for farmers, and support price stability in the local market during the ongoing crop season.
Pakistan’s fertilizer sector plays a crucial role in agricultural productivity, with urea remaining the most widely used fertilizer in the country. Industry experts have repeatedly stressed the importance of uninterrupted gas supplies to fertilizer plants to avoid shortages and reduce reliance on costly imports.
The ECC meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Investment Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain, the Federal Minister for Planning, along with senior officials from relevant ministries, divisions and regulatory authorities.
The approvals come as the government seeks to improve public service delivery, strengthen internal security infrastructure, and ensure stable supplies of key agricultural inputs amid broader economic and fiscal reforms.
