Pakistan and China celebrated their continued progress on various initiatives and sealed their commitment to the second phase of CPEC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor).
In a recent press release, the Joint Working meeting between the two nations convened to evaluate CPEC's long-term plan. The meeting was co-chaired by Syed Zafar Ali Shah, Secretary of the Ministry of Planning Development and Special Initiatives in Pakistan, and Pan Jiang, who joined via video conference.
The session entailed a comprehensive review of CPEC project implementation and a forward-looking discussion on the long-term plan. Both parties expressed contentment with the ongoing advancements, with a particular focus on collaboration in Agriculture, Industry, Science and Technology, Information Technology, and Socio-Economic Development.
Among the 26 CPEC-Early Harvest Projects, 14 have already reached completion, including significant ventures like the Karachi-Lahore Motorway, Multan-Sukkur Section, KKH (Phase-II) upgradation, Eastbay Expressway, Port Qasim Power Plant, Sahiwal Power Plant, and Karot HPP. Presently, five projects, including the New Gwadar International Airport and Suki Kinari HPP (Hydropower Plant), are actively in progress.
It was emphasized that the Pakistani government, in close partnership with provincial authorities, diligently oversees project implementation, monitoring progress monthly, to ensure timely and efficient completion, making CPEC a resounding success.
Both sides vowed to intensify their efforts to fully capitalize on cooperation opportunities and ensure that the Pakistani populace reaps the benefits from these projects, capitalizing on the burgeoning opportunities across various sectors.
Pakistan proposed the integration of "Water Resources Management & Climate Change" as a new area of collaboration under CPEC, aiming to bolster water resource management and develop climate-resilient infrastructure.
In attendance at the meeting were the Director General of China's National Development and Reforms Commission, representatives from various Pakistani ministries, the Gwadar Port Authority, and the Gwadar Development Authority, as well as their counterparts from China.