ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has termed the ML-1 project as a game changer for Pakistan and the flagship project of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The prime minister made these remarks while chairing a review meeting on the progress of CPEC and other Chinese projects on Wednesday.
In the meeting, a detailed briefing was given on infrastructure projects, especially (ML-1), Karachi Circular Railway, Karakoram Highway, and other projects. Apart from this, 10,000-megawatt solar power project and hydropower projects were also discussed. The current situation of CPEC projects, ongoing work and a comprehensive action plan to speed up the pace of these projects in the future were presented to the meeting. In the meeting, Sindh chief minister thanked the prime minister for making Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) a part of the CPEC.
The prime minister stated that the completion of the CPEC projects within the specified period was a national priority. He issued instructions to work on them.
The premier stated that the ML-1 project will play an important role in the economic development of the country by connecting Pakistan’s ports with China and the Central Asian states. This project is the backbone of Pakistan Railways, he added.
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The prime minister said that Pakistan welcomes the interest of Chinese companies in investing in Pakistan’s solar energy projects and added that the CPEC is now moving from a government-to-government phase to a business-to-business phase. He said that the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) will reduce the traffic problems in Karachi and provide safe travel facilities to the residents of the megacity.
The meeting was attended by former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, federal ministers, Ahsan Iqbal, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Salik Hussain, Syed Naveed Qamar, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Syed Murtaza Mahmood, Tariq Bashir Cheema, and others, while the Sindh chief minister participated in the meeting through video link.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022