Coronavirus not to slowdown pace of CPEC projects, says Bajwa

• Bajwa informed that work is underway on the western route under CPEC.
• Omar Ayub informed that the government is working to increase the production of renewable electricity.

Chairman China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority General (Retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa has said that the coronavirus epidemic would not affect the pace of CPEC projects.

The remarks came while addressing a conference hosted by NEPRA here in Islamabad, amid the ongoing coronavirus health scare that has killed more than 2,400 people, with about 80,000 infected globally, though China remains by far the worst hit.

Chairman CPECA said that benefits from the completion of the first phase of CPEC are beginning to appear. The retired general informed that work is underway on the western route under CPEC.

He informed that power projects under CPEC will be completed on time. “Things will start to appear on the ground after June,” said Bajwa.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Khan in his address said that Prime Minister Imran Khan is paying keen interest in the energy sector. The minister urged on the need to look into the contracts of energy projects.

“Imported fuel raises pressure on rupee and foreign exchange reserves,” said Ayub. The federal minister said that the country’s energy sector provides an investment opportunity of $100 billion.

Ayub informed that the government is working to increase the production of renewable electricity, while urging on the need to introduce technology in the energy sector.