European bank keen on funding projects

The European Investment Bank (EIB) on Wednesday expressed keen interest in financing the upgrade of the National Highway (N-5 from Karachi to Torkham and a major water project in Karachi) and committed £50 million ($55.5m) for the rehabilitation of a hydropower project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. As a visiting delegation of the EIB, led by Edvardas Bumsteinas, head of Division for Asia & the Pacific, showed interest in being part of significant infrastructure projects financed by major multilateral lenders like the World Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and Asian Development Bank. Pakistan shared a portfolio of about 12 such projects for investment opportunities, including in power transmission and railways sectors.