CPEC incorporates 6 projects from KP

PESHAWAR: The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority has included 6 key projects of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the upcoming meeting of Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) of CPEC.

However, the KP government has sent a request to the chairman of CPEC Authority to include nine additional projects in the CPEC portfolio. The much-awaited meeting of the JCC has been convened on Friday (July 16) in which the projects will be formally approved. The JCC meeting will be held after a gap of one and a half years, the last JCC meeting was held in November 2019.

While expressing his satisfaction over the meeting of the JCC of CPEC, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Mehmood Khan said that in the past KP was ignored in CEPC projects, other provinces were given more projects but this time KP government has made all preparations. “Although six projects of KP have been included in the agenda but we have requested an additional nine projects to be included in the portfolio,” the CM said.

“The feasibility of almost all the projects has been completed. The construction of roads would provide better transport facilities to the people of the province. DIK Motorway and Dir Expressway have already been approved by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP)”, he said

Mahmood Khan said the mega projects would provide better transportation facilities for the people and help in the province’s sustainable development. The Chashma Right Bank Canal is a 40-year-old project that will revolutionise the southern districts and make the province self-sufficient in wheat.

He said China is a time-tested friend of Pakistan and CPEC is a great example of Pak-China friendship. The flagship project of CPEC Rasakai Special Economic Zone (SEZ) would boost industrial activities and create employment opportunities in the province.

According to data available with this scribe, the four road infrastructures, one industrial zone, and one education project have already been included in the portfolio. PTI flagship project Rasakai SEZ has been placed at the top of the agenda which has already been inaugurated by the prime minister.

Rasakai SEZ will boost industrial activities and create employment opportunities in the province. The second project is the 214km CPEC western route Gilgit, Shandur-Chitral-Chakdara-M1. This will further improve the road connectivity between Pakistan and China.

Similarly, two other road infrastructure projects included in the upcoming JCC are 30km Dir-Chakdara Motorway and Mirpur-Muzaffarabad-Mansehra road.

Another important transport infrastructure project is Peshawar-DI Khan Motorway, also known as the Western Route of CPEC. Pak-Austria Fachhochschule Institute at Haripur is also a part of Friday’s JCC meeting.

The KP government has requested the CPEC Authority chairman to include at least nine additional projects. These projects include the construction of a 500KV transmission line 225km Chitral to Chakdara with 2 grid stations, Swat Expressway from Chakdara to Fatehpur Phase II, Chashma Right Bank Canal (CRBC), Darband Special Economic Zone DI Khan (as a replacement to Mohmand Marble city), Toren More Kari HPP, Jameshil Toren More HPP, Tank Zam Dam, Kumrat Cable Car, and construction/blacktopping/widening/improvement of Mastuj Broghal Pass road, District Upper Chitral.