BRIEFING the Senate Standing Committee on CPEC, Chairman of CPEC Authority Asim Saleem Bajwa said projects under the mega corridor project are going on across the country. Enumerating them, he said nineteen projects have been completed, twenty eight are under implementation whilst forty one are in the pipeline and assured that all the projects will be completed within the given timelines.
There is no doubt that ever since Asim Saleem Bajwa has assumed the charge of CPEC Authority, one has seen a renewed acceleration in execution of CPEC- related projects regardless of the breakout of Covid-19. The groundbreaking of a number of projects performed recently is a clear proof of it. There is a dire need to maintain this focus in future as well as the mega project has the potential to steer the country out of economic challenges faced by it. The CPEC has so far helped the country address its power shortage and build a state-of-the-art road infrastructure. The second phase which envisages cooperation in industrial and agriculture sectors is more important to take forward the country. As the government is striving to trigger economic activity amidst Covid-19 and create job opportunities for the youth, our priority should now be on early operationalization of special economic zones. Asim Saleem Bajwa shared good news with the Standing Committee that Rashakai Economic Zone will soon be opened. This definitely will help us attract Chinese investment. The SEZs envisaged in other provinces must also be operationalized at the earliest by removing all the bottlenecks as industrialization is the way forward not only to generate job opportunities but also substantially enhance the exports. To ensure food security, it is important that we also learn from the best Chinese practices and technology in the agriculture sector. Upgradation of railways infrastructure from Karachi to Peshawar under ML-1 project will also go a long way in making Pakistan hub of regional trade. Timely implementation of all the CPEC projects will put our economy on a positive trajectory and also help thwart evil designs of the forces which miss no opportunity to kick dust on the strategic project.
