ISAMABAD: The Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Professor Ahsan Iqbal, has urged China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) to provide strong support for the implementation of key infrastructure and energy projects in Pakistan.
As per the details, the minister is currently on a visit to China and has requested the early completion of projects, including the Main Line-1 (ML-I) and the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR), in line with the consensus reached between the leaders of the two countries.
During a meeting with Vice Chairman of China’s NDRC, Li Chunlin, the minister praised the leadership of the two countries for providing strategic guidance to the development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is a flagship project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
The minister emphasized that CPEC had been central to Pakistan’s economic growth and had contributed to regional connectivity and development.
He also reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong commitment to the smooth and high-quality development of the next phase of CPEC with a greater focus on the development of industrial parks and Special Economic Zones.
The two sides expressed satisfaction with the completion of some key projects at the Gwadar Port and agreed to continue the momentum for making it a hub of international trade and regional connectivity.
Additionally, the minister for Planning also extended an invitation to the NDRC chairman to visit Pakistan and hold a special session of the CPEC Joint Coordination Committee on the occasion.
The meeting also resulted in a consensus to set up expert groups on enhancing Pakistan’s export potential and development of Special Economic Zones and industrial parks based on the Chinese experience.
Minister Ahsan sought Vice Chairman Li’s support and guidance in the development of high-tech industries based on his own experience of working in Shaanxi province.
Pakistan greatly values the contributions of Chinese Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in helping Pakistan achieve energy security, and the minister informed the vice chairman about the steps taken by the government to facilitate their projects.
Moreover, Vice Chairman Li Chunlin appreciated the contributions of the minister to the advancement of CPEC and his support to NDRC over the years and assured him of NDRC’s long-term commitment to the common objective of high-quality CPEC development.
The two sides agreed to start preparing for the 12th Joint Coordination Committee meeting and hold technical Joint Working Group meetings on a regular basis every two months to ensure closer coordination.
Furthermore, the minister highlighted that 2023 marked the Decade of CPEC and the strong partnership between the Planning Division and NDRC, and invited Chinese leadership to attend special events to mark the milestone.
