ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Prof. Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has great strategic significance and financially beneficial for both countries.
He also emphasized to speed up work specially on energy projects as Pakistan is facing acute energy shortage.
He was talking to Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong,who called on the minister here Tuesday.
The Minister on the occasion identified coal and solar based energy projects of almost 4000 MW to be started on war footing, according to a statement issued by the Ministry.
“The implementation of these projects will address the immediate pressing needs of energy in the country”, he stated.
Ahsan Iqbal also underscored to reach financing agreement of Early Harvest Projects in the upcoming JCC meeting of CPEC.
In meeting both sides discussed the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects and the agenda of the upcoming Joint Cooperation Committee.
Both sides also agreed to expedite the work on the Early Harvest projects which can be executed this year.
They also exchanged the list of deliverables for the high level meeting between the two countries.
Joint Cooperation Committee meeting of the CPEC will take place in Beijing on March 24-25.
In the meeting both sides will deliberate and follow up on various projects including connectivity, information network infrastructure, energy cooperation, industries and industrial parks, agricultural development and poverty alleviation, tourism and infrastructure under CPEC for reaching maturation and agreement on implementation.
Both sides on the occasion also reiterated their strong commitment to implement the consensus reached in the previous meetings of the JCC and Working Groups.
The Chinese ambassador on the occasion agreed to speed up the work on projects identified by the Federal Minister Planning.
He also assured that China would expedite the process on its part to kick- start the projects as soon as possible.
Secretary Planning, Development and Reform Hassan Nawaz Tarar briefed the meeting about the preparation for the Joint Cooperation Committee. He updated that draft work on Early Harvest Projects is ready and complete on Pakistan’s part.
