ISLAMABAD, Jun 11 (APP):Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif\u2019s recent visit to China was a significant step in bolstering Pakistan and China\u2019s long-standing friendship and strategic alliance.
\nTalking to a private news channel, he said that major agreements were reached to expedite the second phase of CPEC, with a focus on job creation, innovation, green energy, and inclusive regional development.<\/p>\n
\u201cCPEC was now in its second phase, focusing on industrialization and the establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) like the Allama Iqbal Industrial City in Faisalabad,\u201d he said.
\nAhsan Iqbal said that the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was pivotal for Pakistan\u2019s economic development.
\nIn this phase, five new corridors were announced, including the Corridor of Growth, Livelihood, Innovation, Green Corridor, and a Regional Cooperation Open Corridor to work on, he added.
\nThe 5Es framework will be implemented, including Export, Energy, Equity, E-Pakistan, and environment, aiming at growth, livelihood, innovation, green development, and regional cooperation, he said.<\/p>\n
He said that creating safe investment environments and a dependable energy supply was important to draw in foreign investors and set Pakistan up for an industrial revolution with China\u2019s help.
\nHe highlighted the significant benefits of the CPEC and said that one of the most notable achievements is the installation of 8000 megawatts of electricity, which has helped alleviate the load-shedding issue in Pakistan.
\nMoreover, CPEC has contributed to the creation of over 230 thousand jobs and has facilitated significant progress in infrastructure, connectivity, and socio-economic projects across Pakistan.<\/p>\n
He emphasized China\u2019s cooperation with Pakistan across various sectors, including mining, IT, energy, and others.
\nHe further said that the government was strongly emphasizing investments on a business-to-business basis to foster closer collaboration between Pakistani and Chinese enterprises.
\nHe further said that to enhance bilateral trade and investment opportunities, more than 150 leading businessmen from Pakistan toured with us and participated in one-on-one meetings with over 250 business companies in China.
\nFurthermore, in the agricultural sector, efforts were underway to leverage Chinese technology to boost productivity and efficiency in Pakistan\u2019s agriculture industry, he added.<\/p>\n
Regarding security concerns for Chinese nationals at work on projects here, the minister assured that it remains a top priority for both countries\u2019 leadership.
\nHe affirmed that measures have been taken to enhance security, including the installation of Safe City projects to monitor effectively.
\nCritiquing the previous PTI government\u2019s approach towards CPEC, he said that Imran led government stopped the project\u2019s initiated during the PML-N government.
\nHe criticized PTI\u2019s leadership for making irresponsible statements against CPEC. However, he affirmed the current government\u2019s commitment to restoring confidence and resuming work on CPEC projects, including those in Gwadar.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD, Jun 11 (APP):Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif\u2019s recent visit to China was a significant step in bolstering Pakistan and China\u2019s long-standing friendship and strategic alliance. Talking to a private news […]<\/p>\n
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