BEIJING, August 21 (INP): China will be an helping hand to the government Pakistan, creating job opportunities by establishing special economic zones (SEZs)

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has entered 2nd phase that paves the way of establishing nine industrial parks at various parts of the country. These parks will be the major source, creating job opportunities,

According official sources here, feasibility study reports of these special economic zones (SEZs) were handed over to Chinese side. Three SEZs including Rashakai, Dhabeji & M-3 in Faisalabad seemed most feasible.”

Basic infrastructure work for establishing SEZS also in progress. Infrastructure development, power generation, development of Gwadar Port and industrialization are the major parts of CPEC, that have already created thousands jobs in Pakistan.

It is expected that around two million new jobs will be generated through CPEC within next few five to ten years.

As at this stage, most of the projects are categorized as infrastructure development. It will require civil engineers, mechanical, electrical and other related disciplines of engineering.

It will also need technicians: masons, welders, carpenters, surveyors, steel fixer, machine operators, etc. In addition to technical workforce, it will also need economists, finance, accounting, management HR and interpreters of Chinese language etc.

Among the on-going projects, most of them are in the power sector, either hydro-power, coal power, nuclear power or renewable energy projects..

The rest of the projects are development of Gwadar port, airports, railway, pipelines, optical fiber-link.

There will be more jobs for engineers and technicians in the future with some available to other disciplines as well. Pakistan needs to introduce reforms in its educational sector, where it needs to identify the requirements under CPEC and then produce requisite human resource.

According to Chinese ambassador in Pakistan, Yao Jing, the CPEC project has provided jobs to 70,000 Pakistanis during the last five years and will generate 0.7 million more employment opportunities in the future.

INP/J/LK