-Chinese ambassador says CPEC’s completion will boost mutual understanding, development
KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) and Keti Bandar are most important projects in the province as the former would resolve the commuters’ problems in the city and the latter would play a vital role in boosting the economy of the country, especially the province.
While talking to Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong who called on him at the CM House on Friday, he said the KCR, Keti Bandar and special economic projects have been approved within the CPEC framework and the KCR has reached the implementation stage. “I am thankful for your support and cooperation,” he told the ambassador.
The meeting was also attended by the counsel general of China and CM’s Principal Secretary Sohail Rajput.
The chief minister said that the KCR route has been cleared from encroachments and Pakistan Railways was also on board for acquiring the 360 acres land for the KCR’s right of way (RoW).
The Keti Bandar project is being processed for preparing its feasibility while land has been allocated for the China-Pakistan special economic zone in Dhabeji. “Once the feasibility and other approvals of the Keti Bandar and special economic zone are made, then they would be presented in the next joint working group (JWG) meeting,” the chief minister said.
The ambassador told the chief minister that at present 20,000 Pakistanis, students and others are living in China, adding that “this kind of mutual understanding for development and prosperity would further strengthen with the completion of the CPEC project”.
The chief minister added that he has witnessed that the Thari workers engaged in the coal mining project and Chinese communicate with each other without any language trouble.
It may be noted that Sindh government through the federal government has already provided feasibility report of the KCR to the Chinese Ministry of Transport and the tender document has also been made ready. By the second week of December 2017, the contract would be awarded, and the foundation stone of the KCR would be laid at Wazir Mansion on December 25, 2017.
He said that KCR, Keti Bandar and establishment of the special economic zone at Dhabejo would usher in new vistas of development and prosperity in the province.
