Islamabad: Following the establishment of the new government, advancements in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), specifically the five new economic corridors such as the Job Creation, Innovation, Green Energy, and Inclusive Regional Development corridors, have been significantly sped up.
On Wednesday, Professor Ahsan Iqbal, the newly-appointed Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, presided over a crucial gathering to commence work on the five new corridors in the second phase of CPEC. This information was shared in a press release on the same day.
The meeting was attended by Awais Manzoor Sumra, the Secretary Planning, and other senior officials from the CPEC Secretariat. The minister was provided with a detailed overview of the progress of CPEC projects, Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) recommendations, and the outcomes of the working groups held last year.
Moreover, the meeting discussed the Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) signed during the third Belt and Road Summit. Professor Iqbal was briefed on significant projects such as ML-1, the expansion of the Karakoram Highway (Phase 2), the D.I Khan Zhob project, the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR), and others.
During the project evaluation, the Minister urged all parties involved to swiftly advance the implementation process without any further delays. The Minister emphasized that there would be zero tolerance for any obstructions in the execution of the CPEC agreements. To ensure timely progress, the Minister directed stakeholders to collaborate immediately with relevant ministries and promptly address pending PC-1s for various projects.
To further expedite the process, the Minister also mandated regular CPEC meetings for proper monitoring of the projects. In 2022, under the guidance of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, the government reinvigorated the CPEC initiative. This was followed by a visit from the Chinese Vice Premier in 2023, who recognized Pakistan’s efforts and reestablished confidence between the two nations.
