Chairman China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority Lt Gen (retd) Asim Bajwa has said that the work on CPEC has not stopped anywhere.

As per details, a meeting of the special committee on CPEC was held under the chairmanship of Senator Sherry Rehman on Monday, in which Bajwa while giving a briefing said that we had received orders that CPEC is very important to us and no project should be stopped.

He said that the government has signed more than 100 projects with Azad Kashmir, saying that our plan was to bring in investors rather than loans, informing that the government plan is to set up a hydel power project for cheap electricity.

He further said that Kohala Power Project signed last week is a 400 MW project of Gwadar which was stuck due to lease issues while projects are being set up to solve the issues in Balochistan. He told that the Prime Minister has approved Rs 17 billion for Southern Grid.

Asim Bajwa said that instead of imported coal we will go for fuel production from local coal resources, we are consulting on extracting chemicals from coal. He told the committee that a 105 km railway line is required for coal mining.

He said that they are in talks with the Planning Commission for the railway line, adding that all the projects are being done in collaboration with the ministries.

He said that there are electricity issues in Gilgit-Baltistan, consultations are underway with Chinese companies regarding roads and electricity in Kamrat village, the emphasis is on investment beyond debt informing that $4 million investment has come in the last 10 days.

Chairman CPEC Authority further said that work is being done on Eastway Expressway and road work is being done from DI Khan to Zhob which will connect Islamabad directly to Zhob. A road is being built from Islamabad to DI Khan.

Briefing on energy and infrastructure projects, he said that construction work of Gwadar Airport has started, it will be a major project of Pakistan, and will cost $230 million. Bajwa informed that this project will be completed with Chinese grant.

The economic zone is being built on 2400 acres in Gwadar he said, whereas, the city master plan has also been approved, the committee was told.