Press Release
Public Talk
on
“Progress of the CPEC Projects in Sindh”
December 14, 2017
“Endowed with coastal access and energy resources, Sindh is a major center of economic and commercial activity and has a highly diversified economy. Therefore, it offers a great deal with regards to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). It is not that Sindh is being neglected in the CPEC but certainly, it needs to be accommodated much more in terms of the CPEC projects.” This was stated by Minister for Planning and Development, Government of Sindh, Mir Hazar Khan Bijrani, who was a guest speaker at the Public Talk on, “Progress of the CPEC Projects in Sindh” organized by the China-Pakistan Study Centre (CPSC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI).
Mr. Bijrani said that the Thar Coal Project is at the core of all the CPEC projects in the province. The Sindh Government has ensured that the people of Thar are the beneficiaries of the projects, not the victims of it. Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SEMC) has employed 1500 locals out of total work force of 2000 people working at the coal project. While talking about Dhabeji Special Economic Zone (SEZ), he said that it has attracted overwhelming response from domestic and foreign investors and it will change the commercial landscape of Karachi. It will help facilitate the cooperation between Chinese and Pakistani companies in the field of agriculture, industry,and energy.
He also briefed the audience about the wind power projects and mentioned that, presently, five wind tribune generators are producing 250 MW of electricity in several cities and another 22 wind power projects are in pipeline. He informed the audience that these projects will be completed in 2020. He said that the Keti Bandar Project was included on the recommendation of the Federal Government, which envisages setting-up of coal-handling berths, liquid-handling berths, power parks and industrial zones. He was confident that the implementation of the CPEC projects will transform the economic landscape of Sindh.
Earlier, in his welcoming remarks, Chairman ISSI, Ambassador Khalid Mahmood briefly highlighted the role of CPSC in furthering Pakistan-China relations. He was optimistic about the positive impacts of the CPEC on the economy of Pakistan. He agreed with the honourable minister that Sindh does have an edge, one way or another, due to its natural resources, coastal access, and vibrant industrial community. He concluded on a note that CPEC has spurred foreign investment in Pakistan, which is one of the positive aspects of the CPEC. This he said, reflects the confidence of the foreign investors who were once shying from investing in Pakistan.
