Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was a strategic economic initiative that had attracted the world in general and regional countries in particular.
“CPEC has changed the negative security narrative into an exceedingly positive economic narrative for Pakistan,” he said while chairing a meeting to review progress on the CPEC at PM House.
He said that the successful implementation of the projects under the umbrella of the CPEC was a manifestation of the strong and time-tested friendship between China and Pakistan and that its success has been corroborated by massive foreign investment in Pakistan.
There was a compelling reason for the international business community to invest in Pakistan, which is the success story of CPEC initiatives, he said.
The meeting reviewed at length the benchmarks set for numerous energy, transport, infrastructure, and industrial projects. They also discussed the needed deliverables with a particular focus on the development of Gwadar Port along with socio-economic uplift projects in the area.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that Pakistan’s economy was in shambles in 2013 when the present government came into power and that it was China that supported and helped Pakistan in economic revival at such a crucial juncture, for which the government and people of Pakistan were indebted to the Chinese leadership and people.
“The visionary Chinese leadership supported us in translating the idea of the CPEC into a reality,” the Prime Minister said.
Recalling his first official visit to China in July 2013, the Prime Minister said that the visit marked a new phase in the development of the relationship of the two countries, by putting economic cooperation and connectivity squarely at the centre of the agenda.
The meeting was briefed that energy projects under the CPEC including coal, hydro-electric, wind, and solar power plants, as well as transmission lines, were on track.
The participants of the meeting were briefed on the status of each energy project under the CPEC in terms of timelines, transparency and cost effectiveness.
Besides the infrastructure projects including road, rail, and aviation, data connectivity was also being executed simultaneously on a fast track basis.
The meeting was informed that Early Harvest projects under the CPEC would be completed by 2017 18.
The meeting also deliberated at the multiple passages of CPEC across the length and breadth of the country.
The Prime Minister reiterated that no region or territory must be left behind in reaping the benefits of CPEC.
The meeting took a significant overview of the Gwadar Projects including Gwadar East Bay Expressway, New Gwadar International Airport, necessary facilities of fresh water treatment, supply and distribution, Technical and Vocational Institute, Pak-China Friendship Hospital, and the development of Free Zone and Gwadar Smart Port City Master Plan.
It was emphasised that the local population must be given priority while giving incentives for industries. The participants of the meeting were apprised of the recent developments and progress to boost industrial cooperation between China and Pakistan.
The meeting was also briefed on the steps already in place for safety and security of Chinese workers working on CPEC projects.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said “our endeavours have started yielding substantive results; our continuing efforts in the completion of CPEC projects will transform the socio-economic landscape of Pakistan where no one will be left behind in getting the benefits”
He said that China has proven to be a real friend of the people, state, and government of Pakistan.
