ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, while briefing editors, analysts and senior journalists, has claimed that the infrastructure-related projects, under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), would be completed by 2016, whereas the 16000 MW energy projects would be finished by 2018.
Ahsan said that foolproof security measures would be taken to ensure the security of Chinese experts and engineers working on these projects and that a special security forces would be raised in collaboration with the military for this purpose.
He said that relations between Pakistan and China had been marvellous throughout the history of both countries and no government in Pakistan ever tried to damage these relations. However, there was a lesser proportion of economic cooperation in this relationship, but that the current leadership of both countries soon after taking charge of the affairs of the country tried to boost economic cooperation and signed a memorandum of understanding in August 2013.
The minister said that under CPEC two routes; Eastern and Western, had been specified to connect Khunjrab with Gwadar Port and the western route would be completed before the eastern because it was being completed with our own resources.
He said that as the government was committed to ensure a united and strong Pakistan through shared prosperity and inclusive development , his party was doubles concerned about backward areas of Pakistan and that the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would bring dividends to all the provinces and regions of Pakistan.
He added that Gawadar would serve multiple destinations, markets and comprises of multiple routes. The impression that western route has been ignored is not correct, rather work is under way on this route to complete the 400km missing link between Gawadar and Surab to pass through Quetta, Zhob, DIK and Peshawar.
