Balochistan leadership should resolve Province’s problems
GWADAR: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan said on Monday that the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the most important initiative of our generation.
“This is perhaps the most important initiative of our generation and the most visible part of the Belt and Road Initiative,” he said while addressing the inauguration ceremony of the first-ever International Gwadar Expo here.
The prime minister also reflected on the World Economic Forum, which was held in Davos last week. “..theme there was ‘Shared Future in Fractured World’, the reality is that in today’s world the largest initiative that is mending the fractures is Chinese President Xi’s vision of taking the historical linkages of yesterday, transposing them onto the fractures of today and creating linkages for tomorrow”.
“CPEC, today, for Pakistan is this reality; the Gwadar port, the Gwadar Free Zone, the Eastway expressway and other projects in Gwadar. It is the motorways and the highways that are linking Gwadar to Khunjerab, that are linking Peshawar to Karachi. It is the modernisation of our railway system. It is the establishment of the power projects…and it is the special economic zones that will generate employment, that will create export for Pakistan and that will give prosperity to people of Pakistan,” he remarked.
The Prime Minister said this inauguration of the International Gwadar Expo is realization of the vision given by Chinese President Xi Jinping and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for developing linkages in the region. He said that CPEC will prove to be a game changer not only for Pakistan but the entire region that will bring prosperity in the lives of the peoples.
Talking about the province of Balochistan, Abbasi said the future of the province is in the hands of Balochistan leadership.
“Political leaders of the province have to resolve their issues themselves, otherwise they will never be solved,” the premier said. He stressed the need for preparing a plan to save the coast of Balochsitan from degradation and developing Gwadar as a model city to which we should be proud of.
The Prime minister announced “Equalisation Package” for the province under which the federal government would share half the development cost in every district of the province including establishment of hospitals, education and other facilities. He also pointed out that he announced financial grant for the province when he visited Quetta three months back. He said the Equalisation Package will ensure the provision of equal facilities in all districts of the province to achieve the target of sustainable development goals.
Addressing the ceremony, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor project has transformed Pakistan-China relations into a strong strategic economic partnership. He said that Gwadar will become a hub of trade in the region.
Earlier, speaking on the occasion, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Yao Jing said that his country will continue to support Pakistan for further progress and prosperity. INP
