40% of Government Building Construction Completed in Balochistan’s Awaran District with Saudi Funding

ISLAMABAD: Around 40 per cent of construction work on government buildings in Balochistan’s Awaran district has been completed under a $1 million grant provided by the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), aimed at strengthening administrative infrastructure and improving working and residential facilities for government officials in the underdeveloped district.

According to documents available to Wealth Pakistan, the Project Management Unit of Balochistan’s Home and Tribal Affairs Department is implementing the project. The initiative seeks to strengthen administrative capacity in Awaran, one of the province’s less-developed districts, while providing government officials with better working environments and accommodation.

The project comprises four major components: a government complex, eight residential houses for staff, two residential houses for officers and two rest houses.

Contracts have been signed with two contractors to execute the construction work following the Saudi Fund’s approval of bid evaluation results and draft agreements.

In accordance with the contractual terms, the contractors have also received advance payments equivalent to 10 per cent of the contract amounts to facilitate the commencement and continuation of construction activities.

Meanwhile, project authorities and the Saudi Fund have discussed the possibility of utilising the remaining grant funds to meet additional requirements, particularly the purchase of furniture for the government buildings.

According to the documents, the estimated cost of consultancy services for the project is approximately $870,000. Discussions have also taken place with the Saudi Fund regarding the possibility of limiting the overall project cost to the same amount.

However, the Project Management Unit requested that an adequate allocation be retained for furnishing the buildings. It was subsequently decided that the utilisation of the remaining funds would be considered in light of the timely completion of construction work and the project’s overall progress.

The documents further state that December 2027 has been set as the extended deadline for the utilisation of the grant and completion of the project, providing additional time to complete construction activities and assess the use of the remaining financial resources.

The government complex and associated residential facilities are expected to improve administrative efficiency, strengthen the institutional capacity of government departments and provide more suitable accommodation for officials serving in Awaran.

The initiative forms part of broader efforts to improve public infrastructure and access to essential administrative facilities in underdeveloped areas of Balochistan.