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ISLAMABAD, Aug 29 (APP): The government was planning to allocate 1,000 acres of land to Chinese investors for the establishment of an Integrated Maritime Industrial Complex near Port Qasim.

Jawad Akhtar, Technical Advisor at the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, told Wealth Pakistan that the land will be used by Chinese investors to develop a large-scale advanced hub that will consolidate multiple maritime activities like shipbuilding, shipbreaking, repair and maintenance, and recycling as part of a technology-driven system designed to modernize Pakistan’s maritime industry.

Jawad Akhtar explained that the initiative is aimed at replacing the outdated shipbreaking practices that have long been centered in Gadani. “At one time, Gadani was number one in the world for shipbreaking, but today it has fallen behind due to outdated practices. This project will revive that glory,” he added.

He told Wealth Pakistan that the Chinese investors plan to bring robotic and advanced technological systems for dismantling and recycling ships. He said large docks will be constructed at the site to enable efficient and modern processes of shipbreaking, marking a significant departure from reliance on conventional methods. Another key feature of the complex will be the installation of re-rolling mills to process melted ship steel directly on-site.

Currently, Pakistan imports ship-grade steel due to insufficient domestic production. With the new facilities, the country will be able to meet its own demand, reducing reliance on imports and saving valuable foreign exchange.

Highlighting the scale of the technological advancement, Jawad Akhtar noted that the new complex will be capable of producing vessels seven to eight times larger than those being produced right now in Pakistan and that too in a short period of just one year. This represents a nearly 70% gain in time efficiency.

Jawad Akhtar emphasized that the land allocation and development of the complex go beyond an infrastructure project. It is the revival of Pakistan’s blue economy, positioning the country as not only a regional hub but also a significant global player in shipbuilding, recycling, and repair, he said. “This is the first investment of this magnitude by a single company in Pakistan’s maritime sector,” he underlined. “Once completed, it will fundamentally transform our shipbuilding, recycling, and repair capabilities, making Pakistan a global leader in this industry,” he added.

ISLAMABAD, Aug 28 (APP): Pakistan is planning to launch regulatory sandboxes to allow enterprises to safely test and experiment with artificial intelligence (AI) applications.

According to Ministry of Information Technology documents available with Wealth Pakistan, at least 50 companies are expected to benefit from these controlled testing environments by 2027.

The sandboxes are part of the government’s broader AI infrastructure strategy and a major step towards strengthening the country’s AI ecosystem.

The regulatory sandboxes will be coordinated through Centres of Excellence (CoEs), which will provide companies with a safe space for innovation and help align regulations more flexibly.

The strategy places a strong focus on compute, data, and connectivity. At its core is the creation of a national AI compute grid, built on a network of High-Performance Computing (HPC) centres equipped with specialised AI hardware.

 Industry-led data centres will also provide compute resources to drive research, development, and adoption across multiple sectors.

These resources will be made available to more than 100 academic institutions across the country, enabling large-scale AI experiments, training of advanced models, and processing of massive datasets.

The government also plans to set up national and provincial AI data repositories, ensuring centralised, high-quality datasets that meet both industry and academic standards. This will particularly benefit sector-specific AI applications and innovation.

The policy further outlines the establishment of AI hubs in major cities, designed to act as innovation ecosystems connecting academia with industry, while supporting AI research and commercialisation.

It also promotes the use of cloud and open-source AI platforms, urging industry players to rely on public cloud services and contribute to shared AI resources. In addition, Pakistan aims to partner with global AI initiatives to develop around 50 new AI models annually, strengthening domestic accessibility to AI data and models while ensuring international collaboration.

Together, these measures reflect Pakistan’s strong commitment to building a robust AI ecosystem by investing in technology, data, and innovation frameworks, ultimately aiming to place the country on the global AI map.

LAHORE, Aug 27 (APP): The Pakistan Railways has completed solarization of 37 railway stations, which will help lower the Pakistan Railways reliance on conventional power.

According to the documents available with Wealth Pakistan, out of 37 railway stations already shifted to solar power, nine have been solarized in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and 28 in Punjab.

The solarized stations in Punjab are Hassanabdal, Nur, Taxila, Chaklala, Domeli, Basrala, Raiwind, Lahore Cantt, Walton, Kala Shah Kaku, Kot Radha Kishan, Okara City, Okara Cantt, Changa Manga, Chak Jhumra, Sangla Hill, Dural Ehsan, Kot Lakhpat, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Rukarpur, Jhaman, Shorkot, Rajpoot Nagar, Sher Shah, Galewala and Jan Muhammad Wala.

The solarized railway stations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are Kundian, Peshawar City, Nowshera, Attock City, Jand, Basal, Pabbi, Daud Khel and Jahangir Road.

The government had launched a plan for solarization of 155 railway stations across the country to save millions of rupees spent on the electricity cost. The Pakistan Railways had projected a cost of Rs450 million for solarization of 155 targeted railway stations across the country.

As per documents, solarization of another 42 stations will be completed by December this year.

In Punjab, solarization of 23 stations in Multan region and nine in Rawalpindi is in progress, with an estimated cost of Rs 43.83 million and Rs26.809 million, respectively. The solarization of stations in these two regions will help the Pakistan Railways save Rs40.4 million.

Likewise, solarization of 10 railway stations in Balochistan at an estimated cost of Rs13.396 million will save Rs 9.18 million annually in terms of electricity cost.

Financial evaluation of bids for solarization of 76 railway stations – 61 stations in Sindh and 15 in Balochistan – is in process. The estimated cost of solarizing these stations is Rs183.23 million and Rs15 million, respectively. The government will save Rs113.86 million annually in terms of electricity bills.

A senior official of Pakistan Railways told Wealth Pakistan that the government has especially focused on the infrastructure and other related developments in the last three years, testifying to its seriousness about modernizing the railways department and reducing its expenses.

He explained that it was an example of the government’s seriousness about the matter that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) had recently agreed to fund the upgradation of a 500-km railway line from Karachi to Rohri.

The official said the Punjab government’s willingness for the upgradation and dualization of railway tracks in the province is another positive step, which will strengthen the railways department.

The official said the Main Line-1 (ML-1) project is also another major focus of the government. The track — a primary rail corridor from Karachi to Peshawar — will enhance transport efficiency, reduce travel time, and facilitate freight and passenger movement, particularly as part of Pakistan’s strategy with Central Asia.

He said rationalization of funds by the Punjab government for Rawalpindi-Lahore fast train project also

signifies its commitment to development of the railways department. The project will reduce the travel time between the two cities.

ISLAMABAD, Aug 26 (APP): Pakistan has received a grant of $6 million from China for the construction of houses in Balochistan.

The monthly foreign economic assistance report released by the Economic Affairs Division for July 2025 reveals that the grant of $6 million from China has been disbursed.

Speaking to Wealth Pakistan, Adviser to Finance Minister Khurram Shehzad said that the Chinese support is focused on the reconstruction of houses in Balochistan province, which is often impacted by floods and other natural challenges.

He said this contribution underscores China’s commitment to Pakistan’s development and its role in strengthening infrastructure and housing capacity in one of the country’s most vulnerable areas.

He said the aid will directly impact displaced families, providing them with durable housing solutions in the wake of devastating environmental events. The assistance aligns with Pakistan’s broader reconstruction and recovery strategies, where international partnerships like the one with China play a pivotal role, he added.

Prominent economist Dr Nadeem-ul-Haq told Wealth Pakistan that the Chinese grant for the reconstruction of houses will spur local economic activity, create jobs, and enhance community resilience, paving the way for future infrastructural developments.

It is noteworthy that this grant is part of China’s broader development assistance to Pakistan, which also includes funding for infrastructure, energy, and scientific research projects. The strong bilateral ties between the two nations continue to thrive, with China remaining a major partner in Pakistan’s economic progress.