Ahead of his first foreign trip after assuming office, Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif said clinching the proposed economic corridor linking the strategic Gwadar Port with China’s Xinjiang province would top his agenda in Beijing.
Sharif said the new economic corridor, which will connect the resource-rich western region with Gwadar port, has the potential to “change the fate” of the region.
“The economic corridor taking off from Kashgar in Xinjiang to Gwadar is a game changer as far as this region is concerned,” the premier said ahead of his visit.
“We expect the corridor will become a very important economic hub,” he added.
The proposed corridor will also pass through Azad Kashmir.
Sharif’s six-day visit beginning from July 4 coincides with the tour of Indian Defence Minister AK Antony to China, bringing the India-Pakistan-China diplomatic triangle into focus.
Chinese analysts said China maintained a “strategic equilibrium” between India and Pakistan. Sharif’s tour will be a follow up visit to Chinese premier Li Keqiang’s trip to Islamabad last month.
Keqiang came to Pakistan after his India visit, during which he proposed the economic corridor project. China and Pakistan signed 11 agreements in the time he was in Islamabad.
The corridor which consisted of a series of special economic zones, a rail link and a pipeline providing China access to the Indian Ocean topped the list of agreements.
Sharif said during his visit he would seek bilateral cooperation in “every field,” especially energy and infrastructure. “We are investing in each other’s countries. This is the time for both countries to move forward at a faster speed,” he said.
A Pakistani task force held talks with the National Development and Reform Commission on the scheme early this week, said reports.
The operation of the Gwadar port, located near the Strait of Hormuz, was handed to the China Overseas Port Holding Company last year after the Singapore firm, which secured the contract, gave up due to a host of operational problems and questions over its economic viability.
The Strait of Hormuz has strategic importance since roughly 40 percent of all world-traded oil pass through this route.
Gas pipeline project with Iran, Gawadar port economic project and indeed there are lot of other tasks to be done with the help of china to boost up the economy of Pakistan better, hope all of these project might be in great favour of our country.
Good projects but government should first maintain peace in country because if no peace and law and order situation keep worsts especially Balochistan where all these projects will starts and too much foreign involvement especially Indian involvement where they are against these projects and funding and supporting anti Pakistan elements in Balochistan and whole country. Government top priority should maintaining peace in country.
.
So, what does it takes to start this project ???
Talking about it for years and years and years …
.
Same thing about Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project …
When would it start pumping gas ???
.
The need is 'now' …
.
The only problem that I see that Mians always see what is in there for them but the Chinese are different which they will findout.
If PM Nawaz focus on Gwadar Projects, 2nd priority Tharcoal, and 3rd Pak-Iran gas pipeline, during his visit to China, than Pakistan will enter in list of development contries. Otherwise Zardari also aproxy 9 visited to China, but nothing achived in the result.
Karzai must go in order to bring peace to Pakistan.
Comments are closed.