“Says CPEC not limited to any province but a project for whole country”
LAHORE: President Pakistan Muslim League-N and Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is not limited to any of the provinces but is a gigantic project for the whole of Pakistan. It’s not a project of building roads and bridges only but a broader initiative of interconnecting different continents, regions and countries, he added. CPEC will have to be transformed into a huge development project of the future which will benefit the 22 crore people of Pakistan. In fact, CPEC has become a game-changer and this mega project has opened new avenues of cooperation in Pak-China friendship. It depends upon us to make it a success, he said. Our enemies are engaged in spate of negative propaganda about the CPEC as they do not want that Pakistan could reap its fruits. The enemies of CPEC are, in fact, the enemies of Pakistan and its enemies are opponents of our development and prosperity. Our enemies do not want Pakistan to become self-reliant. We are happy that lion’s share has been given to the province of Sindh under the CPEC, said Shehbaz Sharif and added that speedy work is going on Thar Coal Project due to the CPEC. Let us join hands and work harder with commitment and untiring efforts to make Pakistan a role model in the world. We should take full benefit of the opportunity and work collectively to make Pakistan a modern welfare state, he added.
He expressed these views while addressing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Seminar held under the aegis of Ministry of Planning & Development and Dawn Media group in Karachi, today. The Chief Minister said that after the general elections of 2013, we went to China under the leadership of the then Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and held parleys with the Chinese leadership for energy projects. The energy crisis had badly affected the economy and every other sector in Pakistan then. The Chinese leadership well-understood Pakistani problems, especially our energy needs and helped us in an hour of trial. There is no doubt that China is the trust-worthy friend of Pakistan in whole of the world and it has always helped us selflessly. He said that Pakistan-China friendship is touching new heights and added that Chinese leadership has given a priceless gift worth 60 billion dollars in shape of CPEC projects. This gift is meant for the people of Pakistan by the Chinese leadership, he added. China made this colossal investment without attaching any strings nor repeated any “Do More” in garb of this investment. This is the friendship of Pakistan and China which is taller than Himalaya, sweeter than honey, and deeper than the deep sea. That is why; Chinese President has termed Pakistan and China as the “Iron Brothers.” Pakistani nation can never forget this unusual Chinese investment, he said.
The Chief Minister said that belt and road is a wonderful vision of Chinese President and CPEC is an extended phase of it. He said that political leadership of Pakistan has worked very hard and sincerely to give a practical shape to the CPEC. Very rapid work has been done on CPEC, he added. Work was immediately started on these projects even before the ink of the CPEC agreement was dried up. The new record has been set by completing 1320-megawatts Sahiwal Coal Power Plant well before time. It is the same project which has not only broken the Chinese record of speedy completion but has also broken the world record.
Shehbaz Sharif said that he is a great admirer of Chinese development model. Mutual liaison can be further enhanced by initiating necessary economic steps through belt and road. He said that Pakistan and China are moving side by side in the journey of development and prosperity. Our goal and objectives are the same. The friends and enemies of Pakistan and China are also the same, he added.
Shehbaz Sharif said that 60 percent population of Pakistan consists of the youth and a best opportunity has been provided to empower them through this project. We have to take benefit of this opportunity to move forward. A soft revolution will be materialized in Pakistan if the youth has been empowered and our country will become developed and prosperous. God forbids, if this opportunity is wasted then no one can stop the revolution. He said that Punjab government has sent 500 students to China to learn the Chinese language. These students will act as a bridge between Pakistan and China after learning it. He said that China is a global economic and military power and it has achieved this status with continued hard work. Let’s make a pledge to make this country great and strong, he said. Shehbaz Sharif thanked the Dawn Media Group and said that it has taken a timely step by holding the CPEC summit.
Senator Mushahid Hussain, Chairman P&D Punjab and others addressed the CPEC summit. Governor Sindh Muhammad Zubair, Federal Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, Chinese Ambassador Mr. Yao Jing, economic experts and officials of Chinese companies also attended the seminar. A luncheon was also hosted in honor of CPEC summit participants by the Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
al;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;”>Issued by: Pasban –Voice against Injustice