Two more CPEC projects to be approved for Sindh: CM

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KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Sunday said that two more China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects of socio-economic development and agriculture would be approved for Sindh.

He said this while talking to media just after attending the convocation of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto University of Law (SZABLU) at Korangi Campus. He was accompanied by his Advisor on Law Murtaza Wahab.

Replying to a question, he said that the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) was the highest forum of CPEC and its meeting he had attended last week in China.

He added that the CPEC authorities have included two more sectors, Agriculture and Socio-Economic Development, in its projects list. “I presented two projects in the JCC and most probably they would be approved by the relevant Joint Working Group in their meeting to be held in March.”

Giving details of the projects, the chief minister said that he presented a mega project of channelisation of 180 km of River Indus right from Guddu Barrage to Sukkur Barrage. “It is a mega project and the provincial government is working to complete its required formalities and through Joint Working Group it would be forwarded for final approval from CPEC authorities,” he said.

He said that the channelisation of River Indus would be a great project for the development agriculture sector. It would not only save water but would control waterlogging and salinity in the districts located on both banks of the river.

The channelisation would help to save the area from floods and develop large agricultural lands in the katcha areas.

Talking about Socio-Economic Sector, the chief minister said that he had told the Chinese authorities that the Thar Foundation was already working in education, health, socio-forestry and bio-saline agriculture in Thar. “I proposed them [Chinese authorities] to approve the project for Thar Foundation so that it could be implemented in Thar area where a Coal-Fired Power Plant was being established under CPEC projects,” he said.

CM Shah said that the Chinese authorities appreciated the efforts of provincial government and referred the project to Joint Working Group which would meet in March 2019 and “I am sure it would be approved”.

Replying to a question, he said that his government was ready to appoint standing committees in the provincial assembly during the last session. “These committees are appointed by the assembly and we are ready for such appointments in the next assembly session,” he assured.