ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) will consider the Main Line-1 (ML-I) project worth around $7.2 billion under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) next month.

This was revealed by Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmad who also announced to provide 0.1 million jobs in Railways on merit. The minister was talking to media at Rawalpindi Railway Station on Friday said that the ECNEC meeting schedule for July 9th will consider ML-1 project.

The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) in its last meeting recommended the railway ML-1 project worth of $7.2 billion to the ECNEC.

The minister thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan and Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa for raising the ML-1 project with the Chinese government at every forum. "The credit of ML-1 goes to Imran Khan and General Qamar Javed Bajwa as they raised the matter with the Chinese government."

The Railway minister announced to provide 0.1 million jobs in the Railway Department. "A tender for 0.1 million jobs is coming." "The country's history is going to change," claimed the minister, adding that the country was looted but now all things would be transparent and all these 0.1 million would be hired through competition directly.

He also said the wages as well as salary of employees needed to be increased. He further stated that Pakistan Railways was going to stand on its feet. A Railways University would be established near carriage factory and the matter has been discussed with the Chinese government.

He further said that Imran Khan would complete his tenure. "The Pakistan Army and all other institutions are standing with democracy and the system for the betterment of the country," Sheikh Rashid said.

Replying to a question regarding tension between India and China, he said China did not follow "one day" (short term) foreign policy. People were not ready to hear about Hong Kong and Taiwan, he said.

Earlier, the minister was discharged from the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Rawalpindi after he recovered from coronavirus.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020