CPEC to bring enormous opportunities to Balochistan: PCJCCI chief

Lahore: Pakistan-China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) President Moazzam Ghurki has said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would bring enormous opportunities to Balochistan and ensure modern development .

Speaking in a think-tank session here at PCJCCI Secretariat, he added that the regional countries, especially Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, would use the corridor for exports and trade through Gwadar port.

In his speech, PCJCCI Senior Vice President Fang Yulong said that the minerals and fishery sectors of Balochistan have immense potential and the Federal government is taking serious steps to utilise it for the benefit of the people of Pakistan.

He emphasised that Gwadar port and various projects under CPEC will change a lot for the people of Balochistan and the Government of Pakistan is especially focusing on road infrastructure, development of industrial and agriculture sector, provision of employment, and availability of basic facilities in Balochistan.

He added that there is a dire need to include transport, construction of basic infrastructure, provision of clean drinking water and its better utilization, agriculture and livestock, information technology, energy, industry and commerce, manpower and education and other schemes for the revolutionary development in such neglected province of Pakistan.

While the joint Chamber’s Vice President Hamza Khalid said that the new government is focusing on the social and economic uplift of Balochistan to bring it at par with other provinces of the country. Pakistan, Uzbekistan and China have agreed to allocate dedicated spaces in Gwadar and Tashkent for establishing warehouses to help each other in the transportation of goods to other countries in the region.

Salahuddin Hanif, Secretary General PCJCCI, mentioned that CPEC is a source of new avenues of opportunities for Balochistan.

“Balochistan with regards to its geographical location is pivotal for CPEC since Gwadar has a central position in the entire project. It is believed that the project will potentially contribute to the development of the whole province and is likely to address its interlinked economic and social problems,” Hanif underlined.