Nawaz performs groundbreaking of Pak, China Fibre Cable project

Gilgit—Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Thursday said China Pakistan Economic Corridor project will put the country on the path of sustainable development.

He was addressing groundbreaking ceremony of Pakistan-China Optical Fiber Cable project here. This project is a part of CPEC and has been completed in two years at a cost of Rs 44 million.

He said the mega project will not only bring economic benefits to the people, but also help address the issue of extremism by creating job opportunities to the youth. Nawaz Sharif said the federal government is determined to steer the country out of all challenges and has also achieved significant success in this regard.

The Prime Minister said the project will bring 3-G and 4-G services to Gilgit Baltistan. He said Gilgit-Baltistan will soon emerge as the most developed area with the launching Optical Fiber like projects.

He said a network of roads is being developed in Balochistan which will link the province with the rest of the country. The Prime Minister directed the authorities concerned to expand the network of Pakistan-China Optical fiber cable project to Gwadar and other areas of the country.

The premier announced the establishment of a technical training institute in the region. “We will initially set aside Rs100 million for this project,” he said. Nawaz stressed the need for preparedness for a newer knowledge-based economy. “These development projects will help reduce extremism,” he said, pointing towards a lack of employment as a driver of militancy.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also inaugurated Gilgit-Baltistan CPEC patrolling police headquarters in Gilgit.

The patrolling force comprising 300 personnel will help ensure safe and smooth flow of traffic on the 439-kilometre chunk of the CPEC project in Gilgit.China has gifted 25 vehicles for the patrolling police.

The Prime Minister also administered oath to the newly elected members of Gilgit-Baltistan Council at a ceremony held here.

The ceremony was attended among others by Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Barjees Tahir, Governor GB Mir Ghazanfar Ali Khan and Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman.

The six new members who joined the 12-member Council included Syed Afzal, Sultan Ali Khan, Ashraf Sada, Syed Abbas Rizvi, Arman Shah and Wazir Ikhlaq Hussain.

As the crowd raised slogans of “qadam barhao Nawaz Sharif hum tumharey sath hain” (Move ahead Nawaz Sharif, we are with you), the Prime Minister said a feasibility of hydel project at Attaabad was being completed and once operational it would generate 27 MW electricity and provide power to numerous adjacent towns and villages.

The Prime Minister said construction work on Diamer Basha Dam will soon be started to meet the growing energy requirements of the country.

He said the federal government has approved Rs 105b for the acquisition of land for the dam.

The Prime Minister said he desired manifold increase in the development budget of Gilgit Baltistan in order to bring it at par with other areas of the country.
The Prime Minister directed the officials that there should be no delay in payment of compensation to the affected people oftunnels, roads and dams.

The Prime Minister announced Rs 200 million for Karakoram International University as he desired the students to study hard and to make it an exemplary institute.

He termed the CPEC a “game-changer” and said it was moving ahead at a fast pace and not only envisages road, rail and communication networks, but would alsoprovide power generation projects, generate employment and strengthen bonds of the people across the country. He was optimist that loadshedding would end by year 2018.

Prime Minister Sharif said people say that he was concentrating only on roads, but “come and see here, how the road networks have opened up these areas and schools and hospitals were being built at remotest areas.”

He recalled a similar criticism when he had launched the Lahore-Islamabad motorway and said those critical were the most frequent users.

Chief Minister Gilgit Baltistan Hafiz Hafeez ur Rehman said the people of Gilgit Baltistan were with the Prime Minister and would foil the attempts of those “conspirators” who were trying to sabotage the country’s march towards progress and prosperity.