ISLAMABAD: Gwadar is gate of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and its two projects — Gwadar International Airport and Expressway — would hit ground breaking this year, Ahsan Iqbal, the federal minister for planning and development, said this on Monday.
Talking to a delegation of Gwadar Press Club in the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform, he said that Gwadar city would not just be a port city but a centre of socioeconomic activities. He said that CPEC would help to upgrade the local fishing and ship building industries so that the people of Gwadar could get maximum benefit from this project for better livelihood.
He said over $1.6 billion will be invested to build modern airport , motorways , water , power , health, education and related projects . He said that under CPEC not only the Gwadar Seaport, International Airport, Expressway but hospitals and a technical and vocational training institute would also be constructed this year.
He said that Gwadar would be connected to other parts of the country by end of this year as work on western rout Gwadar to Quett road and Gwadar – Khuzdar -Ratodero section is on fast track. D.I Khan to Burhan section would be completed by June 2018, he added. Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal said, CPEC would benefit all the provinces especially the most-backward areas of the country. He said that in energy component of CPEC, Sindh and Balochistan are the largest recipients of the investment as of total £ 35 billion, $11.5 billion would be invested in Sindh, and $9.1 billion in Balochistan.
He said that the 20th century had belonged to political ideologies but today is the era of political economy, economic stability and inclusive growth. While highlighting Vision 2025 , he said that the fist pillar of the Vision is regional connectivity and China -Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would benefit three billion people of the region through enhanced regional connectivity .
He said that CPEC is a 15 years long project to be completed in 2030 with special focus on infrastructure development, Gwadar Port, energy and phases by economic zones. He said that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed during Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s visit to China in 2013 and it has been converted into $46 billion investment within a short period of one year. He said that CPEC is a fusion of Vision-2025 of Pakistan and China’s “One oad-One Belt” for future growth and development. He further added that Orange Train project was not part of the China -Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as this project was funded by Punjab Government.
He said that administrative work on CPEC is the responsibility of Ministry of Planning with the help of other Ministries and departments while the Pakistan army is responsible to provide security. Minister further informed the delegation that on instructions of Prime Minister to the Army Chief, 9000 army men were being employed in the security force for CPEC projects. Both civil and military departments are playing their functions satisfactory and in harmony.
Ahsan Iqbal also mentioned that Federal Government would help in establishing Gwadar Press Club building for the journalists in Gwadar.
