Zahid Rifat
It is indeed a very welcome sign that great game changer China-Pakistan Ec0onomic Corridor (CPEC) comprehensive project is fast becoming popularly and hotly discussed and talked about subject within the country at all forums and meetings and internationally also as more and more countries of the region and beyond are showing keen desire and interest to be part of this directly or indirectly as it is going to develop and increase connectivity all around.It is noteworthy that different aspects of CPEC and on-going projects in different parts of the country are invariably the main subject for discussion when particularly a Chinese delegation calls on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif or one or the other federal ministers. According to the reports, matters of mutual interest including the CPEC projects and promotion of multi-faceted bilateral relations between the two provinces were discussed at some length when a high-level delegation led by Secretary Chinese Communist Party Hubei, Provincial Commission on Discipline Inspection Houchangan called on Provincial Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif few days back. Leader of the Chinese delegation invited the chief minister to pay a visit to Hubei at his convenience and said the investors of Hubei are very much interested in investing in Pakistan particularly in Punjab under CPEC umbrella. The chief minister said Pakistan and China cherished the time-tested friendship that has been fortified further through CPEC adding that The One Rpad One Belt vision of the Chinese President is surely going to build the whole region. A joint committee of both the provinces was set up during the meeting to suggest how to improve bilateral relations between the two provinces of Punjab and Hubei. All this is certainly good as exchange of various delegations at high level between the two countries along side speedy and timely implementation of CPEC projects in various sectors is ushering in an era of progress, development and connectivity in Pakistan.
