Pakistan has secured a major financial push from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) after the two sides signed agreements worth $730 million to support key development sectors, including power transmission infrastructure and institutional reforms. The signing ceremony took place on Thursday, where Muhammad Humair Karim, Secretary of the Economic Affairs Division, and ADB Country Director Emma Fan formalised the agreements.
According to a statement issued by the Economic Affairs Division, the agreements include the Second Power Transmission Strengthening Project valued at $330 million and the Accelerating State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) Transformation Programme worth $400 million.
ADB today signed financing agreements for 2 transformative projects worth $730 million, boosting SOE reforms and energy infrastructure in Pakistan:
— ADBPakistan (@PakistanADB) December 25, 2025
· $400M SOE Transformation Program
· $330M Power Transmission Strengthening Project
The agreements demonstrate ADB's… pic.twitter.com/3kgpgnAdY3
Muhammad Humair Karim appreciated ADB’s longstanding role as a reliable development partner and acknowledged its continued support in strengthening Pakistan’s infrastructure and governance framework. He noted that the Transmission Project will enable the reliable evacuation of 2,300 MW of electricity from upcoming hydropower projects, ease the load on existing transmission networks, and improve system resilience during emergency situations.
Speaking about the reforms initiative, Karim highlighted that the SOE Transformation Programme will help reinforce compliance with the State-Owned Enterprises Act 2023 and SOE Policy 2023. The programme aims to improve transparency, financial discipline, and operational efficiency, with a particular emphasis on upgrading performance mechanisms of the National Highway Authority (NHA).
The agreements reflect Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to stabilize and modernise its infrastructure while pursuing structural reforms to enhance economic governance and institutional strength.