Published at 11:30, September 13, 2026. Source: Bol News via public media reports. Pakistan’s flagship ML‑1 railway upgrade has entered a critical design phase. The technical team and consultants from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) expect to wrap up design work in October 2026, and will then cooperate with Pakistan’s government to push forward procurement and follow‑up work. On September 10, Ahad Cheema, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, held talks with an ADB delegation to review project progress, design schedules and preparatory arrangements. Cheema noted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attaches high priority to the ML‑1 project and hopes it can move to implementation as soon as possible. The Ministry of Economic Affairs will fully cooperate with ADB and deliver necessary support. ADB representatives acknowledged Pakistan’s commitment and promised sustained close coordination, and will keep the Pakistani side informed about materials and requirements for ADB Board review. As Pakistan’s core rail artery, ML‑1 stretches from Karachi in the south to Peshawar in the northwest, handling nearly 80 % of passenger traffic and 90 % of freight volume nationwide. The modernization scheme has suffered repeated delays due to financing hurdles. Under current plans, the 480‑kilometre Karachi‑Rohri section will be the first priority for upgrading.