CPEC will bring about economic revolution, says Sharif

GILGIT: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will bring about an economic revolution in Pakistan as several roads, power plants and railway tracks are being built under the project across the country.

He said the people of Gilgit-Baltistan will be the principal beneficiaries of the project which is set to put the country on the path of sustainable development.

Addressing an oath-taking ceremony of newly elected members of the GB council here on Thursday, the prime minister said work on the Diamer-Bhasha dam would start soon to meet the growing energy requirements of the country. He said the federal government had approved Rs105 billion to acquire land for the dam, adding that the GB government had saved Rs10bn in land acquisition.

Mr Sharif said work on the Dasu dam would also begin soon. He said a 27MW hydel project would be constructed at the Attabad lake in Hunza which would help overcome electricity shortage in the region. He claimed that there would be no energy crisis in the country in 2018.

The prime minister directed the authorities concerned to pay compensation to the people affected by the Karakoram Highway expansion project.

He said some people complained that Nawaz Sharif was only constructing roads. “Constructing roads is not a crime as progress cannot be achieved without building highways; those who opposed the motorway projects in the past are now travelling on them.”

The prime minister said his government had established peace in sensitive areas of the country, including GB.

About the Nanga Parbat incident in which 10 foreign climbers were massacred at their base camp in June 2012, he said the accused had been arrested and convicted. They would soon be executed, he added.

The prime minister announced a grant of Rs20 million for the Karakoram International University.

He said economic zones under the CPEC project would be established in the region, Gilgit and Skardu airports would be turned into international airports and food and other products of the region would be supplied to the international market.

Earlier, the prime minister administered the oath of office to six GB Council members who were elected on April 18 this year.

The ceremony was attended by Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Barjees Tahir, GB Governor Mir Ghazanfar Ali Khan, Chief Minister Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman, members of the GB Legislative Assembly, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (GB chapter) office-bearers and other officials.

According to Radio Pakistan, Prime Minister Sharif inaugurated headquarters of the Gilgit-Baltistan CPEC patrolling police.

The patrolling force comprising 300 personnel will ensure safe and smooth flow of traffic on the 439km portion of the CPEC in Gilgit. China has gifted 25 vehicles for the force.

The prime minister also performed the groundbreaking of the Pakistan-China optical fibre cable project.

The 820km cable project from Rawalpindi to Khunjerab will be completed by the Special Communication Organisation in two years. The $44m project is part of the CPEC.

Addressing the groundbreaking ceremony held in Danyor area of Gilgit, the prime minister said the project would not only bring economic benefits to the people of the region, but also help address the issue of extremism by creating jobs for youth. The project would be a milestone in the development of IT and telecom services and would also bring 3G and 4G services to Gilgit-Baltistan, he added.

He said the project would provide an alternative telecommunication route between Pakistan and China and connect all projects under the CPEC. The prime minister directed the authorities concerned to expand the cable project to Gwadar and other areas of the country.

Mr Sharif announced a grant of Rs10m for the construction of a technical training institute in Gilgit.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2016