The outgoing Chinese ambassador to Pakistan, Sun Weidong, has enlisted major outcomes of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He said that Pakistan will have surplus electricity after November 2017 and the country’s annual growth rate was 3.6% which has gone up to 5.3% with CPEC underway. This is aside from creating 60,000 job opportunities.
The Ambassador stated this while briefing the Parliamentary Committee on CPEC, which honoured the outgoing ambassador of China with a presentation of a special plaque in recognition of his services to CPEC and strengthening Pakistan-China ‘all weather friendship’.
The parliamentary committee on CPEC met with Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed. The Chinese ambassador was specially invited. The ambassador gave in-camera briefing to the committee on the progress review of the project.
Surplus Power and Annual Growth
Ambassador referred to the 19 Early Harvest Projects, particularly those in the energy sector which had contributed to 1820 MW of electricity and after November 2017, surplus power would be produced. However, Pakistan’s electricity demand is also at its lowest during November and the rest of the winter season.
So one result of CPEC is already evident, in that it has helped resolve Pakistan’s chronic energy crisis. He said that plans were afoot for the convening of the 7th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC), which is the apex decision making body on CPEC.
Another result of CPEC mentioned by Sun Weidong was that prior to CPEC, Pakistan’s annual growth rate was 3.6% but now with CPEC, it has gone up to 5.3%. 60,000 job opportunities were also created by Chinese companies for Pakistanis.
People to People Exchange
Sun Weidong said, that Pakistan-China people to people exchanges are already being broadened and 200,000 visitors from both countries visited each other in 2016. Moreover, 22000 Pakistani students are studying in China including 5,000 on official scholarships.
The meeting was attended by Rana Muhammad Afzal, MNA, Isphanyar Bhandara, MNA, Ghous Bux Mahar, MNA, Mehmood Khan Achakzai, MNA, Senator Lt. Gen. (R) Salahuddin Tirmizi, Senator Shibli Faraz, Senator Talha Mehmood and Senator Mir Kabeer Ahmed, besides senior officials from the ministries of Railway, Energy, Communications and Planning, Development and Reforms.
