CDWP clears Rs2.42bn uplift projects

ISLAMABAD: The Planning Commission’s Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Monday cleared the Operational Improvement of Federal Investigation Agency in AML/CFT, Counter Terrorism Wing & Case Management System worth Rs858.577 million.

The forum has cleared two development projects worth Rs2.42 billion during its meeting held on Monday under the Deputy Chairmanship of the Planning Commission, Dr Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan. The meeting was attended by the chief economist, members Planning Commission, and representatives from the various ministries.

The forum has cleared the Programme for Flood Response through Reconstruction of Education Facilities in Sindh worth Rs1,566. 628m and Operational Improvement of Federal Investigation Agency in AML/CFT, Counter Terrorism Wing & Case Management System worth Rs858.577 million.

The Ministry of Interior is the sponsoring agency of the project. The project envisages revamping of Counter Terrorism Wing: To act as the Federal Level Counter Terrorism Wing to enforce the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, to deal with transnational & inter-provincial mandate to combat terrorism and terrorist financing; to identify criminal’s networks that recruits/engage/hire Pakistani youth for violence and make them fighters to fight their wars elsewhere; to bring Pakistan out of the grey list; to counter national and transnational terrorism threats; to enhance overall security at national, regional and global levels; to improve mechanism for making assessment of the threats of terrorism at national level; to achieve the international standards of transparency and accountability through state-of-the-art law enforcement agency; to assess, scrutinize and disseminate the financial intelligence shared by FMU; to carry out efficient criminal prosecution and prosecution of the perpetrators, accomplices, and other persons who are in any way linked with money laundering and terrorist financing.

The CDWP cleared the Programme for Flood Response through Reconstruction of Education Facilities in Sindh worth Rs1,566.628 million. The government of Sindh is the sponsoring agency of the project. To cater to the need to reduce the dropout & increase enrollment, the government has planned to establish at least 500 elementary schools in the province.

SELD has undertaken multiple initiatives securing development partner’s assistance for upgradation as well as bringing in innovative approaches through technical assistance with a targeted focus on improving girls’ education, girl’s retention and successful transition from primary to secondary education.

The project is conceived keeping in view the fact that the numbers of elementary schools are much lower than the primary school in rural Sindh. This particular issue adversely affects the primary school student’s retention and is the biggest cause of student’s dropout from schools. Similarly, the net enrollment rate for girls is low.