The Prime Minister has declared that the government will not allow any delay in completions of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor that is to be completed with the cooperation of China. It is remember that ex-prime minster Muhammad Nawaz Sharif also used to give this heart-warming statement in his prime minister ship but unfortunately an attempt was made to make this project controversial in the western and eastern route cycle, after which it remained very controversial in Imran Khan’s government.
Due to which the work on the western route could not be started yet, under which the only major public project (ML-1 (double railway track) was not started, which would help the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that is affected by terrorism and economic crisis. it is hoped that it can bring revolution in the life those affected people. So far ten years have passed but despite assurances, this state-of-the-art public project is still pending.
The Prime Minister and his team need to put aside their differences with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and think about that, it can be started this year. Although the Prime Minister’s statement is quite welcome that the transfer of Chinese industry to Pakistan will improve the country’s economy, create new employment opportunities and increase Pakistan’s exports then Pak-China cooperation was reviewed. In a meeting the Prime Minister was briefed about various projects and informed that the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway will be completed through public-private partnership. To send 1000 students to China for advanced agricultural vocational training. The planning has been completed and the first batch of students is being sent to China at the beginning of this academic year.
According to the briefing the plan to switch power plants to local coal is in the final stages, while investment opportunities in Pakistan are being discussed in Beijing with China’s cooperation the show will be arrange soon.
The Prime Minister is repeatedly emphasizing on generating expensive electricity from coal, although if only hydropower projects could be install in Gilgit, we will get rid of expensive electricity from furnace oil and coal.
Hence his government missionary should also pay attention to above issue and along with that practical measures are also needed to upgrade the electricity transmission system across the country.
However the Federal Minister of Planning has not yet paid attention to that big problem but he is only issuing political and technical statements. The Prime Minister said that a comprehensive road map was presented for the transfer of Chinese industries in Pakistan, under which textile, medical surgical instruments, plastic and leather industry will be partnered with Chinese companies for transfer to Pakistan. At least 78 Pakistani companies have expressed their interest in cooperation for the transfer of Chinese industries to Pakistan. The Prime Minister directed Pakistani companies to facilitate cooperation with Chinese companies.
The whole nation including Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif knows that China is a long-time friend of Pakistan who has helped Pakistan in every difficult time. The transfer of Chinese industry to Pakistan will improve the country’s economy, create new employment opportunities and increase Pakistan’s exports. He said that new employment opportunities and Pakistan’s exports will increase.
All the words of the Prime Minister are correct but in order to increase employment in the country CPEC needs to be thought of beyond just a corridor for China, from which a lot of benefits can be gained at the local level without making any big investment.
Although the importance of Sukki Kanari and Rashkai economic zones is certain, but unless the supporting projects i.e. ML1 one railway project and upgrading the power transmission system these projects will be useless because in the prevailing conditions of the country the pace of investment will remain slow.
The alternative for that is to complete a big canvas project like ML1 first, simply doubling the track and increasing the speed of transportation will naturally increase the trade between Peshawar to Karachi (in a broader sense from Kabul to Karachi). This fast movement will also uplift all the projects like Rashkai Economic Zone. Thus it is hoped that the Prime Minister and his Planning Minister will play their part to overcome on all the differences besides make the CPEC a local oriented project.
