Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said the Pakistan-China Economic Corridor will usher in a new era of economic development and prosperity in the underdeveloped areas of the country by connecting maximum number of population through a network of highways and railways.
The prime minister expressed these views while taking a briefing from the officials of the ministries of Planning, Communications and Railways at the Pakistan Secretariat on Thursday.
Terming the Pak-China Economic Corridor as the future of the world, Nawaz said three billion people, which was almost half of the world’s population, from China, South Asia, and Central Asia would benefit from this economic corridor, adding that it should be so designed that maximum number of people of the country benefit from it.
Nawaz was briefed at length about the proposed alignments and lines from Khunjrab to Gwadar that would be constructed as part of the Pakistan-China Economic Corridor.
Emphasising on ensuring the good quality and transparency, the prime minister directed the authorities concerned to explore more options keeping in view factors such as terrain, population and social cost of the project in the form of population dislocations while drawing the areas through which this corridor would be passing.
Nawaz said the Lahore-Islamabad Motorway should be taken as a model and that its quality and standard need to be kept in view while constructing the Pak-China Economic Corridor.
Taking strong exception to the poor condition of motorways and roads in the country, the prime minister said motorways, highways and road networks were national assets and their repair and maintenance must be given the top most priority.
He lamented the fact that projects had never been completed on time and not completing them on time had almost become a national character.
“Without setting our priorities right and without moving in the right direction, we cannot attain the goal that we have in our mind for the people of Pakistan,” Nawaz said.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the briefing, the prime minister gave one week to the Ministry of Communications to complete its work and arrange a follow-up briefing.