PM reiterates resolve to complete CPEC at all costs

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday expressed his satisfaction on the pace of the ongoing projects and reiterated the resolve to complete the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) at all costs.

He noted that the CPEC was a testimony of time-tested and deep-rooted Pak-China friendship and “would continue to take pre-eminence in our development strategy”.

He particularly emphasised that focus of industrialisation should be export-oriented and import substitution and our policies should be framed accordingly.

Imran Khan also directed to prepare the youth to take up new jobs being created by the incoming industry and high quality agriculture farms.

The prime minister chaired a high level meeting to review progress on CPEC, the flagship project of Belt and Road Initiative.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar, Minister for Finance Shaukat Fayyaz Tarin, Minister for Industries Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Minister for Planning Asad Umar, Adviser to Prime Minister Abdul Razak Dawood, National Security Advisor Dr Moeed Yousuf, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chairman Board of Investment Atif Bukhari, Chairman CPEC Authority Lt General (r) Asim Saleem Bajwa and other high ranking officials attended the meeting.

The prime minister was briefed on the progress of the ongoing projects, in various sectors, under the umbrella of the CPEC. The meeting was informed that the current government not only completed the ongoing projects started by the previous government, but was able to complete large number of significant projects in just two and a half years.

Regarding the infrastructure development projects, the meeting was informed that regardless of who started any project, most of them have been completed by the current government.

Special economic zones including Rashakai, Dhabeji, Allama Iqbal Industrial City and Gawadar Industrial Zones are attracting foreign and local investors. It was also told that Chinese are expanding cooperation in agriculture sector and livestock as well.