Pakistan, China mulling extending CPEC to Afghanistan: Ambassador Moin ul Haque

BEIJING:

Both Pakistan and China have agreed to invite third parties to participate in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with Afghanistan already becoming part of the multibillion dollar rail and road project which is a key part of China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

“This project has been a game changer and very important for the socio-economic development of the country. Now, our two countries have agreed to invite third parties to participate in this project. We are now working to extend it to Afghanistan,” said Pakistan Ambassador to China Moinul Haque on Sunday.

In an interview with China’s CCTV, the ambassador highlighted that China is a global leader in many technologies including artificial intelligence, e-commerce and green technologies.

“So, it has been identified as one of the most important areas for the second phase, and we have established joint working groups for cooperation,” he added.

He said that new corridors like China-Pakistan Digital Corridor, Green Corridor and Health Corridor have been launched to benefit from the emerging opportunities in areas of science and technology and Information Technology (IT).

Responding to a question about transportation projects undertaken under CPEC, he said Lahore Orange Metro Train was one of the first early harvest projects under the CPEC framework.

“It was built in the second largest city of Lahore, a city of over 10 million people. It has provided efficient and affordable and very modern transport services to the people of the city,” he added.

Ambassador Haque said in the last two years, Lahore Orange Metro Train has provided transport services to 100 million people.

He said the major focus has so far been on the energy sector because When CPEC kicked off, Pakistan was facing acute shortages of energy and long hours of load-shedding.

“New projects under CPEC have put in almost 8,000 megawatts of new energy into Pakistan’s system helping to fulfil not only the needs of the common man, but also the industries.”

About the Gwadar port project, he said it is going to serve many of the landlocked Central Asian countries. “So, we provide a very easy, quick and shortest route to the Arabian Sea.” He expressed confidence that the advantages accruing from CPEC will not only help Pakistan, but also the regional countries.

While highlighting bilateral relationship between the two countries, he said, “In Pakistan, we consider China as our best friend and in China, I know, Pakistanis are known as ‘Battie’, the iron brothers, an expression which is only reserved for Pakistan. It’s very heartwarming.”

To yet another question, he said besides promoting economic relationships, trade, investment industry, both our countries are focusing on cooperation in culture, education and tourism.

He said that there are now 25,000 plus Pakistani students in China and they are also serving as China-Pakistan friendship ambassadors.