ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal has reiterated the PML-N government’s resolve to overcome the shortage of electricity in the year 2017-18 by implementing its energy projects.
Talking to the media here the Planning Commission office, the minister said as a result of China Pakistan Economic Corridor, links from Gawadar to Peshawar would be established through western, central and eastern alignments. The western link would be completed first by the year 2016.
He, however, clarified that there was no eastern route. Highlighting the ‘western line’ of CPEC, he said that it would link Gawadar to Turbat, Panjgur, Baseema, Zohrab, Kalat, Quetta, Qila Saifullah, Zhob, Dera Ismail Khan, Islamabad and then Peshawar.
Similarly, he said that Central Line would be from Gawadar to Baseema, Khuzdar, Sukkur, Rajanpur, Muzaffargarh, Bakhar, Dera Ismail Khan and then Peshawar.
The Eastern Line would be developed from Baseema to Khuzdar, Sukkur, Dera Ismail Khan, Lahore, Islamabad and Faisalabad.
Replying to a question, the Minister said that no special industrial zones have been decided yet along China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC both by Chinese government and Pakistan).
He added that four joint working groups under Pak-China Joint Cooperation Committee have so far been established which has decided areas in planning, energy, transport and Gwadar.
He clarified that so far, no joint working group has been set up to identify industrial zones along with China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
However, he said that soon a joint Pak-China Working Group would be established to decide and identify industrial zones along with China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in consultation with all the provinces for their benefit.
He also reiterated to build motorways in Balochistan which would usher in a new era of socio-economic prosperity in the province and benefit the poor people of the province living along the road link under the CPEC.
The minister dismissed the impression that the route of CPEC had been altered to pass through Punjab ignoring other provinces.
Instead, he said, the working group which was responsible to demarcate the sites for industrial zones was yet to be formed.
“After the formation of the said working group, all provincial governments would be asked to suggest the areas feasible for industrial parks in their provinces,” he said.
He mentioned that other four working groups on energy, communication network, Gwadar Port and infrastructure were already functional and comprised members from China and Pakistan.
The Minister said that CPEC was not just the name of a road or a route, rather it was a portfolio of projects having complete framework.
Ahsan Iqbal said there would be three principal alignments to access Gwadar upto Khunjrab that wouldpass through the eastern, central and western parts of the country.
He said the operational connectivity of Gwadar would be made by upgrading the existing road network and construction of missing road links.
