ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Asian Development Bank (ADB) Vice President Yingming Yang on Friday discussed the early groundbreaking of the long-delayed Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway project, with the government describing the Karachi-Peshawar corridor as a key priority for modernising freight logistics and strengthening regional trade. Yang, the ADB vice president for South, Central and West Asia, met Shehbaz during his first official visit to Pakistan in the role, with the two sides also reviewing priorities under the bank’s new Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) for 2026-2030. The ML-1 upgrade, which envisages modernising the country’s main railway corridor from Karachi to Peshawar, was a central focus of the discussions. Shehbaz stressed the need for early groundbreaking of the project, saying its implementation was vital for infrastructure development, improved connectivity and the modernisation of Pakistan’s transport and freight network. The prime minister said that an upgraded ML-1 would help strengthen freight logistics, facilitate regional trade and support major industrial initiatives. The meeting also discussed expanding cooperation with the ADB in support of the private sector, energy security and food security, as well as measures to improve export competitiveness and cooperation in artificial intelligence and information technology. Shehbaz said that Pakistan had successfully navigated a difficult economic turnaround through fiscal, structural and governance reforms. He said the corrective measures had restored macroeconomic stability and reinforced investor confidence, while major international credit rating agencies, including Fitch, Moody’s and S&P, had upgraded or improved their outlook for Pakistan. The prime minister said that his government remained committed to long-term economic transformation and was working to remove administrative bottlenecks through dedicated execution task forces. Shehbaz praised the ADB’s role in Pakistan’s development, particularly its support for urban infrastructure, transport and public service projects. The meeting reviewed the two sides’ multi-decade development partnership and sought to identify priority interventions under the CPS 2026-2030. Shehbaz and Yang concluded by reaffirming their commitment to turning the strategy’s priorities into concrete development projects aimed at supporting sustainable economic growth and improving living standards in Pakistan.