Trade, communications sectors: ML-1 Railway project vital for progress: minister

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal said that the ML-1 Railway Project is very necessary for the progress of our trade and communications sectors.

The minister expressed these views while presiding over the review meeting on development projects regarding the visit to China. The meeting was attended by secretary Railways, secretary National Highways Authority (NHA), additional secretary Power, and senior officials of the Ministry of Planning.

The federal minister was briefed in detail on the development projects relevant to various ministries to be presented during the visit to China.

While addressing the meeting, the minister said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Phase-2 would be the main agenda of the visit to China. He said that now we have to go two steps ahead of China to complete the CPEC projects.

He said that theML-1 Railway Project would be an important agenda on the China tour. ML-1 Railway Project is a 150-year-old track and if work is not started on it now, God forbid, we may suffer more accidents, he said.

He said that China developed with a clear vision and roadmap and we also have to carry a vision for the development of the country.

“Pakistan is the most important country in the region in terms of regional cooperation. We have to plan concretely to convert our geographic centrality into opportunities in the region,” the minister said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024