‘Several road projects launched under CPEC’

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Communications Dr Hafiz Abdul Karim said during the tenure of present government, record increase has been made in construction and extension of motorway and highways throughout the country.

Under gigantic China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, a number of mega projects connecting to the ports were undertaken. He was talking to Ambassador of Morocco Mohamed Karmoune who called on him at Ministry of Communications here Wednesday.

Secretary Communications Furqab Bahudar Khan, Additional Secretary Ministry of Communications Tashfeen Khan and senior officers of Ministry of Communications were also present.

A detailed briefing regarding motorways and national highways and their connectivity to the Gwadar Port was also given. The minister said presently Pakistan was focusing on implementing China Pakistan Economic Corridor under which a coordinated motorways and highways network was being built throughout the country.

Completion of the Western Route of the CPEC stands among priorities of the government and this 2471km long route passes through areas like D I Khan, Zhob, Quetta, Sorab-Hoshab and Gwadar. Its completion will open up new avenues of economic uplift in the developing regions of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, he added. It was told that, once completed Gwadar port will become the second largest port of the world and the first largest of this region.

Expressing interest in CPEC project, Mohamed Karmoune said, Pakistan was making marvellous progress. He said Morocco and Pakistan were bound in age old Islamic cultural relationship. Brotherly ties between the two countries will further be strengthened in the years to come, he added.