M.Z.Rifat
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) comprehensive project , under implementation quite speedily, is not only going to promote regional connectivity but also envisages accelerated development of energy and infrastructure sectors in Pakistan. As is well known by now, a number of countries of the region and beyond are showing their interest in either joining the CPEC or drawing its benefits directly and indirectly.It is indeed good to note that as many as 19 power projects under the CPEC umbrella are under implementation in different parts of the country and along with infrastructure sector development are going to serve as an important engine for driving Pakistan’s economic growth and in the process bring increased economic activities and generating greater employment and other opportunities in due course of time on their completion one after the other as scheduled. These power projects , according to information available from official sources, include hydro, solar, wind and imported coal projects and will be generating as much as 12114 megawatt of electricity and thus go a long way in eliminating menace of lingering electricity load shedding. The coal projects will be generating 3000 megawatts, hydropower projects will produce 3714 megawatt while the power projects based on imported coal will be producing 4260 megawatts of electricity. Of these CPEC power projects, imported coal power project at Port Qasim is scheduled to be completed by end of this year while Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project is expected to start producing electricity one years later from now in March 2018 initially generating 969 megawatt of electricity. What is more important and worth mentioning here is that the government will not be paying nothing for all these under execution power projects as the investment in these projects is being made by the Chinese investors and furthermore, these projects will be handed over to the respective provinces, where these located, after 25 years. These power projects as such are yet another manifestation of time-tested, all weather trustworthy friendship between neighbouring countries of China and Pakistan under the CPEC umbrella. The relations,, which continue to be further promoted and strengthened with every passing day, are surely and certainly enviable for all countries around the world who can learn from this friendship as how two neighbouring countries should live and have most friendly relations for mutual benefits of their people.
