CPEC Authority to be Formed to Fast-track Progress on CPEC Project

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday said the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority was being established for ensuring uninterrupted progress on different projects.

The authority would be most effective in ensuring timely completion of the CPEC projects, besides ensuring better coordination and cooperation among all the relevant departments, the prime minister said while chairing a high level meeting to review progress on the CPEC projects.

The prime minister observed that the CPEC was a practical manifestation of the multi-dimensional and strategic partnership between the two countries.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Planning and Development Khusru Bakhtiar, Minister for Communication Murad Saeed, Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Khan, Advisor on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Special Assistant on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Special Assistant Nadeem Babar, Board of Investment chairman, federal secretaries, chief secretaries of Punjab and Balochistan, additional secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other senior officials, PM Office Media Wing in a press release said.

The prime minister said completion of ongoing projects within the stipulated timeframe was their top priority. The completion of CPEC would not only prove beneficial for the two countries but also for the whole region, he added.

Minister for Planning and Development Khusru Bakhtiar briefed the meeting about progress on different CPEC projects in various sectors, including  energy, infrastructure, digital transmission of PTV, Orange Line, ML-1,  Gwadar Port and other important projects.

The meeting reviewed progress on the important projects in the energy sector, including Port Qasim coal fired power plant, Gwadar power plant, Kohala hydropower project, Hubco Thar coal power project and Thar coal power project.

The meeting also discussed in details the infrastructure projects like Sukkar-Multan Motorway, Thakot-Havelian section, Eastbay Expressway, New Gwadar International Airport,  ML-1 and D I Khan-Zhob road project.

The prime minister was apprised that Sukkar-Multan Motorway (M-5) had been completed which would be soon inaugurated.

The prime minister accorded his approval for a pilot project for changing the current transmission system of Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) into digital system with the Chinese cooperation.

A detailed briefing over transforming the railway system on the modern lines under the ML-1 was also given.