Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal says the visit of China's Vice Premier He Lifeng is of great significance that would help enhance economic and financial cooperation between the two countries. Addressing a news conference, he said Vice Premier He Lifeng has played a prominent role in China's international economic relations and implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, of which CPEC is a flagship project. As the Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, he was instrumental in the planning and execution of multiple CPEC projects in Pakistan. Counting his government's achievements under the mega CPEC project, the Minister said during three years of our last tenure we attracted over 25-billion-dollar investment under this flagship project.

It also resulted in the production of around 8000 MW of electricity. He said CPEC turned Thar Coal a productive asset for Pakistan which is a great source of cheap power generation. It also helped making our road infrastructure stronger that widened our motorway networks and brought development in Gwadar. Ahsan Iqbal said we planned nine industrial zones in Pakistan under the mega CPEC project but unfortunately the previous government just ruined these futuristic projects. The Minister said CPEC fostered a broader cooperation between the two countries which helped improving cooperation in education sector as well. Highlighting lucrative investment opportunities in Pakistan, the Minister said we are grateful to our all-weather strategic partner China which helped Pakistan turning into an investment hub from a security state.

Sharing insights into the upcoming phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, he said the next phase will focus on promoting robust business-to-business and industrial cooperation between Pakistan and China. Expressing gratitude to Chinese workers and engineers for transferring technological skills to Pakistani youth under CPEC projects, he stressed that collaboration and synergy between the two nations will pave the way for unprecedented opportunities and shared prosperity. Ahsan Iqbal also regretted that CPEC's gateway Gwadar was ignored badly during four-year tenure of PTI government.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP) — Pak-China