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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Planning Minister directs stakeholders to expedite CPEC projects

Ahsan Iqbal, minister of planning, development, and special initiatives, gave the appropriate authorities the order to set up a virtual meeting with Chinese authorities on Tuesday to discuss advancing the CPEC projects.

Professor Ahsan Iqbal, the federal minister for planning, development, and special initiatives, has given the responsible parties instructions to eliminate obstacles and expedite the completion of CPEC projects.

The upgrade of the rail line from Karachi to Peshawar, which is expected to be completed at a cost of $3.1 billion, is being sought after, according to Ahsan Iqbal.

A meeting between Pakistan and China was conducted to move toward the bidding process of phase 1 of ML-1. ML-1 was expected to cost $9.8 billion in total. He stated, “We are working on a 300 MW power project for Gwadar to replace the current coal-based one.

Following the 11th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting conducted last month and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s most recent trip to China, Ahsan evaluated the status of CPEC projects on Tuesday, according to an official statement.

In accordance with his instructions, officials are to eliminate any obstacles standing in the way of the ML-1 and KCR projects, which were approved at the 11th JCC meeting. He instructed the Pakistani Embassy in China to meet with the Chinese side to follow up on the decisions made at the JCC meeting and during the PM’s visit to China.

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He asked the embassy to set up a video conference with the vice chairman of the NDRC to discuss the status of the CPEC projects.

The Minister also gave the relevant ministries instructions to expedite work on Special Economic Zones in order to gain a piece of the Chinese industry’s relocation to Pakistan with low-cost production.

He instructed staff to work with Chinese authorities to expedite the International Gwadar Airport’s completion. He instructed stakeholders to communicate with their Chinese counterparts, saying that “the Gwadar International Airport should be operational by June 2023.”