Pakistan’s Punjab province aims to broaden its scope to develop a portfolio of public-private partnership projects spanning multiple sectors in association with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), a senior official told Infralogic.

It is starting with its first few student accommodation projects, said Chief Operating Officer Muhammad Danish, adding that feasibility studies are underway for up to five projects with the assistance of the UNDP.

The long-standing collaboration with the UNDP will also support capacity building for the provincial P3A team, said Danish, adding that the UNDP will provide a team of transaction advisors for assistance, including for conducting feasibility studies and preparation of bid documents.

While the UNDP will assist for the student accommodation PPPs in the first phase of the programme, the next stage will expand to projects in sectors including waste recycling, municipal services, and livestock farming, said Danish.

The projects to build student hostels for public sector universities have already been identified, he said, adding that further details will be known once the feasibility studies are completed.

There is a need to build more student accommodation, said Danish. Overall, there are 23 universities under the department of higher education, three under the health department and six working women’s hostels administered by the women’s development department, he said.

The P3A is also preparing to tender five road projects and two for water supply in the next two to three months, Danish said. The authority is advised by the International Financial Corporation for the water projects, he said.