25th meeting of Parliamentary Committee on CPEC held

Islamabad: The 25th meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was held here under the Chairmanship of Sher Ali Arbab.

The Committee was briefed by Additional Secretary, M/o Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Additional Secretary M/o Maritime Affairs, Secretary M/o Ministry of Communications, Secretary M/o of Interior, General Manager National Highway Authority, Senior Engineer, Frontier Works Organization (FWO), Managing Director Private Power Infrastructure Board (PPIB), Islamabad, Director General Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) and Officials from Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) regarding the projects which are in progress at Gwadar including New International Airport, Desalination Water Plant, 300 MW Power Plant, Pak-China Friendship Hospital and Technical & Vocational Institute, East-Bay Expressway and construction of Breakwaters, Smart Port City Master Plan and proposed Naukundi-Mashkhel-Panjgur road.

The Chairman remarked that Gwadar is the most important component of CPEC, as the success and prolific results of CPEC are intrinsically dependent on the effective operationalization of Gwadar. Therefore, it is mandatory that the ongoing projects at Gwadar pertaining to infrastructure build up, water, health, energy provision and security arrangements be completed promptly and effectively.

The Chairman further directed the M/o of Interior to ensure that the rights of any citizen shall not be violated in the name of security arrangements at Gwadar and also instructed Gwadar development Authority to rehabilitate and operationalize the already installed desalination water plants at Gwadar so that the cost incurred may not go in vain. The Chair also directed concerned departments to resolve the issues highlighted by worthy Members of the Committee and incorporate their invaluable recommendations while executing the ongoing projects at Gwadar.

Moreover, the Chairman directed concerned Ministries, Divisions and other quarters to ensure the strongest coordination amongst them and any undue delay in completion of projects at Gwadar will not be tolerated. The Chair further remarked that CPEC will not take off unless every one of us exerts painstaking efforts to achieve its long cherished goals and the coming generation of Pakistan could witness a bright and prosperous future.

The meeting was attended by Noor Alam Khan, Sadaqat Ali Khan Abbasi, Mir Khan Muhammad Jamali, Nafeesa Inayatullah Khan Khattak, Ghous Bux Khan Mahar, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Zahid Akram Durrani, and Muhammad Aslam Bhootani.