ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, addressing a press briefing, has said that Balochistan to get the first economic zone under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which will create jobs and bring prosperity in the province.
Ahsan Iqbal said that under the bilateral energy cooperation, several projects worth $37 billion will be started. These projects will produce 16,400 MW of electricity and 10,400 MW power projects would be completed by 2018, he added.
Ahsan further said that under the CPEC, Gwadar Port projects will be upgraded and different roads and express ways will be set up with special focus on the Karakoram Highway. He said Pak-China friendship fell among those consensual points that united the whole nation and whichever government remained in power in Pakistan, no one ever differed from the fact that this was the strong pillar of country’s foreign policy. The minister said that Chinese president was visiting Pakistan after 9 years.
He attached good hopes with the visit of Chinese president and said that China and Pakistan were moving forward and going to enter in historic economic partnership.
Ahsan said governments of all times in Pakistan kept good relations with China but unfortunately did not focus on economic coordination. He said the present government had taken important steps in that direction and with the help of China, Pakistan would become Asian tiger within few years.
The minister said that during the visit of Chinese president MoUs worth 45 billion dollars will be signed in the sectors of energy, basic infrastructures, industrial collaborations and other sectors under CPEC. He said out of 45 billion dollar, 28 billion dollar projects were ready to go.
