Nawaz for equal distribution of CPEC benefits

RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday underscored the need for equal distribution of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) benefits among the federating units. The Prime Minister stated this while chairing a high-level meeting in which he was briefed about the progress made in the recently-held sixth meeting of the Joint Co-operation Committee (JCC) on CPEC that was held in Beijing on December 29.

The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction over the progress on the CPEC-related projects and said international investors were showing keen interest in investing in Pakistan. About the establishment of Industrial Parks, the Prime Minister directed the federal authorities to initiate the process of providing electricity, gas and telecommunication to the proposed sites. The Prime Minister was briefed that agreement on 300MW power project had been signed and the project would be started soon.

Moreover, Gwadar water supply project, hospital, technical institutes and mass transit railway project in the provincial headquarters were also discussed in JCC at China. It was further briefed that China had agreed to consider and examine Indus Cascade projects in CPEC.

The Prime Minister congratulated the Water and Power Ministry for securing the $1.5 billion Lahore-Matiari Transmission Line project agreement to be funded under CPEC and directed to actively pursue its implementation. He also felicitated the Pakistani team for inclusion of the Mass Transit projects in the four provinces and directed Railways Minister to facilitate the provinces by giving his ministry's technical advice for project feasibilities. The meeting was attended by Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal, Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi and Secretary to PM Fawad Hassan Fawad.