Pakistan PM Sharif: Determined to complete all CPEC projects on time

Sharif said the affordable and skilled Pakistani labour and modern Chinese technology jointly will help make the economic development grow at a vigorous pace

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that he is determined to timely complete all the projects under the multi-billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and assured that he will resolve all the issues faced by the Chinese companies working in Special Economic Zones.

Addressing a meeting in Rashakai Special Economic Zone, a flagship industrial project of the government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa under the CPEC, Sharif said his government is committed to industrial development to make Pakistan an economically progressive country, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.

Shehbaz said a total of nine special economic zones were launched during 2016-17 in the Joint Commission Committee. He added that Pakistan is taking advantage of modern Chinese technology.

He said the affordable and skilled Pakistani labour and modern Chinese technology jointly will help make the economic development grow at a vigorous pace.

The Prime Minister suggested holding road shows and other activities in China to promote Chinese investment that could result in a "win-win" situation. He assured to resolve all the issues faced by the Chinese companies working in Special Economic Zones.

Shehbaz directed to achieve targets in the SEZ on stipulated times and stressed on making the Special Economic Zones a role model.

The USD 62 billion CPEC, which connects Gwadar Port in Pakistan's Balochistan with China's Xinjiang province, is the flagship project of China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It was signed in 2015 when Chinese president Xi Jinping visited Pakistan. The multi-billion dollars project aims to build infrastructure, power generation facilities and industrial zones in Pakistan.

India has protested to China over the CPEC as it is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.