CPEC to create 700,000 direct jobs for Pakistanis by 2030

ISLAMABAD: As many as 700,000 new job opportunities for local people are estimated to be created by 2030 under the mega project of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

"So far various CPEC projects have provided direct job opportunities to around 75,000 people across the country, according to documents from China Embassy here.

A recent study conducted by CPEC Centre of Excellence, Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform of Pakistan showed that indirectly, CPEC could help create even 1.2 million jobs under its presently agreed project.

In order to promote economic development and employment of Pakistan, Chinese companies also subcontract a large number of projects to local Pakistani companies.

This also develops relevant upstream and downstream industries, such as raw material processing and catering industry which also provide more employment opportunities for the local people.

Chinese companies have engaged themselves in three areas to fulfill their social responsibilities in collaboration with the Chinese government.

The Chinese side has proposed to conduct social cooperation on agriculture, education, medical care, poverty alleviation, water supply and vocational training.

The Chinese companies shared advanced techniques and successful experience to help Pakistan transform its human resources into advantages.

The Chinese companies have sponsored thousands of Pakistani students to study in China and sent hundreds of Pakistani engineers and professionals to China for training on scholarships.

Chinese universities have set up two vocational training centres with local universities in Lahore and Quetta.

China Fund for Peace and Development (CFPD) has built the Faqeer Primary School in Gwadar, which is known as “Chinese Pakistan Friendship School”.

The school was completed and started classes in September 2016 with 500 students, more than double of its designed capacity.

Since the operation of the school, the Chinese company has donated books, schoolbags, stationery, uniforms and 3 school buses for the students.

The Chinese Embassy has also made donations to the school.

CPEC emergency medical centre was set up in Gwadar port in May, 2017. It was donated and run by the Chinese Red Cross Foundation with a top class Chinese medical team working there, providing local residents with necessary first aid treatment and free medical examinations for local primary school students.

Many Chinese companies have also donated medicines to residents near the project, and provided free medical examinations to the local people.

The Chinese companies are actively exerting their own advantages to build bridges and drill wells for residents to help them solve water and travel problems.