Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday inaugurated the Rs 13bn Gwadar-Turbat-Hoshab Road (M-8) that would link Gwadar Port with Quetta and serve as a vital part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The 193km long highway would connect the western, central and eastern routes of the CPEC with the Gwadar Port. Prime Minister Sharif said his government accords top priority to development in Balochistan and said the construction of the road was a dream, which came true. He said that Pakistan''s prosperity was in the prosperity of Balochistan.
The Prime Minister said the completion of the M-8 reflects his government''s vision of a bright and prosperous Balochistan and a well connected region. He said the government was not only focussing on construction of roads alone, rather equal attention was being given to other sectors that would usher in an era of prosperity in the country.
The Prime Minister said the Central Asian Republics were keen to use the elaborate network of roads in Pakistan to reach to the open seas. He said the road linkage would not only benefit Pakistan alone, but also the around 3 billion people of the entire region. He said his government did not believe in mere rhetoric and was focussing on real development for a lasting impact. The Prime Minister announced initiation of work on the Quetta-Khuzdar dualisation project, Basima-Khuzdar-Shahdadkot road and Bella-Awaran-Hoshab highway.
He said the four-lane roads can later be expanded to six lanes to cater to growing traffic. He said the project was started at a time, when law and order situation was not good. He paid rich tributes to all those who laid down their lives for the completion of the project, that would eventually link to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and would be part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor.
He said it was a very important link that would connect the country''s southern areas to northern and help generate economic activity. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif lauded General Afzal and the FWO team for courageously completing the road, despite numerous challenges. He also appreciated the CoAS General Raheel Sharif for his keen interest in the project, peace in Balochistan and timely completion of the road. He said the FWO was already working on the Jalalabad-Peshawar linkage and said the country would soon have a robust network of roads linking with its neighbours. He said the FWO was also working on re-surfacing of the M2 Lahore Islamabad motorway as it was over due and said it would be a new road, once it is completed. The Prime Minister also mentioned his recent visit to Sahiwal Coal Power project that was being built at a faster rate than similar projects in China.
He also pointed to the 3400 MW Thar Coal project that would use local raw material. He said the government''s objective was not only to produce additional electricity, but also to produce it at cheaper rates so that it can usher in prosperity at a rapid rate. He said by 2018 Pakistan would address most of its energy shortage.
The Prime Minister mentioned the several hydel projects in Northern areas that would add thousands of Megawatts of additional power in the long term. He said international agencies have also noted the positive economic indicators of Pakistan. He said Gwadar would have an international airport and would have a modern hospital and educational institutions.
DG FWO Major General Muhammad Afzal briefed the Prime Minister about the project and informed that the M-8 project was a major step towards the utilisation of Gwadar port. The completion would link Quetta to Gwadar and to Afghanistan through Chamman. The M-8 would play a key role in the economic growth of Pakistan.
In his address, DG FWO Major General Muhammad Afzal said the Pakistan Army and FWO were proud to fulfil the promises made and pointed out that work on the M-8 project was initiated under the directives given by the Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif on February 6, 2014. He said FWO was the only organisation that took up the challenge and said that the project was completed in a record period of 19 months and quality work was undertaken with the use of modern heavy equipment. He said during the construction of the project there were 207 attacks on the FWO workers by miscreants that caused 26 deaths of its staff, while 18 helping staff also lost their lives.
He said the project would open up new avenues of economic activity, generate employment and bring in new business and opportunities for the local population. He said the road would now provide a shorter, safer link from Gwadar to Hoshab and onwards to Quetta.
General Afzal said the FWO pursuing the directives of the government and took up the onerous task of completing the road through tough geographical location and extreme security hazards. He said FWO was also proud to have constructed Gwadar with Karachi through the Makran Highway. He was also appreciative of the role of the provincial government of Balochistan and the National Highway Authority for their support to the project.
The event was attended by Chief of the Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, Governor Balochistan Muhammad Khan Achakzai, CM Balochistan Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, Minister for SAFRON Lieutenant General Abdul Qadir Baloch (Retd), National Security Advisor Lieutenant General Nasser Khan Janjua (Retd), Senator Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo, ex CM Balochistan Dr Abdul Maalik Baloch, Chairman NHA Shahid Ashraf Tarar, DG FWO Major General Muhammad Afzal, Senator Agha Shahbaz and other senior civil and military officials.
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