PAC chief promises to resolve mobile signals, hotels issues along CPEC route

Dera Ismail Khan: Chairman Public Account Committee (PAC) Noor Alam Khan has said that the government will resolve the mobile signals and hotels’ issues on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) route along the Dera-Hakla (M-14) motorway.

Speaking to journalists here, Khan maintained that the issues including mobile signals and hotels on the CPEC route would be resolved soon.

He noted that under the framework of the CPEC, China and Pakistan had greatly facilitated inter-regional connectivity through the construction of various infrastructure facilities. “This will be done soon. The problems will be resolved,” he pledged.

Khan contended that the local impact of the CPEC on Pakistan was also largely reflected in the boosting of local employment. The infrastructure projects of the CPEC have created nearly 50,000 jobs.

Quoting official records, the PAC chief reminded that the early harvest projects of the first phase of the CPEC had created about 38,000 jobs, more than 75 percent of which are local employment, with energy projects creating the most employment, absorbing 16,000 Pakistani workers and engineers in total. In addition, he said, the construction of transportation infrastructure had created about 13,000 jobs.

He contended that the CPEC had a portfolio of projects in different provinces of Pakistan, depending upon their requirements.

He reiterated that China and Pakistan were all-weather strategic partners and had formed a rock-solid friendship. “CPEC is a landmark project of the co-construction of the Belt and Road Initiative by China and Pakistan,” he added.

Khan mentioned that during the first phase of construction, China and Pakistan were not only committed to improving energy shortage problems, but also focused on infrastructure constructions.

“There are many highlight projects, including Gwadar Port, Lahore Rail Transit Orange Line Project, Karakoram Highway upgrading and reconstruction project Phase II and China-Pakistan Cross-Border Optical Cable Project. These mass transport infrastructure constructions are of great significance to Pakistan’s economic development,” he remarked.

Khan stressed that due to highways and energy infrastructures, an increasing number of Chinese enterprises had come to invest in Pakistan, effectively promoting Pakistan’s economic development and at the same time, laid down a solid foundation for industrial cooperation in the second phase of the corridor.