Pakistan and China set to sign 15 MoUs at Belt and Road Forum: Senator Abdul Qadir

Chairman Standing Committee for Petroleum and Resources Senator Muhammad Abdul Qadir Friday said that on the occasion of the Belt and Road Forum between Pakistan and China, 15 including the ML-1 project of railways, memorandum of understanding (MoUs) of more than projects to be signed on October 17 & 18.

In a statement issued here, he said that the third Belt and Road Initiative Forum would be held in Beijing, the capital of China saying that on the occasion of the forum, Pakistan and China would make a major breakthrough in the second phase of China-Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC).

He said that under the ML-1 project, the 1733 km long railway line of Pakistan from Karachi to Peshawar would be upgraded and a new track could also be laid to bring the speed of the train up to 160 km per hour.

He said that China’s rail system was a masterpiece system equipped with the most advanced technology in the world, the quality of China’s railways was in no way lower than the quality of the railways of the United States, Europe, and the United Kingdom, rather, being the most modern, it was more upgraded than the rail system of these countries.

An example of the quality of China Railways is in front of us in the form of Lahore Orange train service, he mentioned.

He said that the agreements for infrastructure, energy, and other projects would be signed saying that announcements would also be made regarding further promotion of cooperation in various sectors of CPEC.

CPEC is the first and most important project of the Belt and Road Initiative which started between China and Pakistan ten years ago, he noted adding that China has invested more than 30 billion dollars in the project so far.

In the second phase of CPEC, other projects including ML-1 and Thakot, industry and energy projects will also be considered in detail and contracts will be signed, he said.

The chairman of the standing committee further said that the project of upgrading Pakistan Railways has been stalled for ten years, adding that this grand project should have been completed a decade ago with the cooperation of China, by laying a 1733 km long railway line, communication would be faster.

Pakistan Railways would play an important role in the development of Pakistan by being equipped with modern technology from China, he said.

He said that both the countries were keen on the early completion of this mega project, this railway system provided by China would help in making the fruits of the CPEC project known to the people soon.