"The opponents of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project are the enemies of Pakistan. CPEC is the portfolio of $45 billion which is based on the visionary leadership of China and Pakistan desiring to see Asia as the centre of global economy in 21st century," said Prof Ahsan Iqbal while addressing the roundtable on China Pakistan Economic Corridor at National Defense University held on Tuesday.
"Social solidarity and political stability have enabled China to make progress in economic development. We have to learn from Chinese learning and development experience and stop politicising mega development projects through hatred breeding political statements. Those who are hatching repeated conspiracy against CPEC are the anarchists, masquerading under the garb of patriotism. It's high time we throw overboard our parochial, sectarian and racial differences to see prosperous future of Pakistan for our youth bulge," he said.
"CPEC will help increasing our growth rate to around 8 percent and will prove decisive in shaping new Pakistan. Under the umbrella of this corridor project the remote and backward areas of Gawadar and Thar will be made economic centres in future. Gawadar will become port city having tourist and business opportunities like Singapore and Dubai. Thar will produce power of 6000MW in the next 10 years.
The atmosphere of peace and social cohesion will work as oxygen for execution of CPEC," he remarked.
The Federal Minister announced that government has approved special security force of around 10000 personnel for Chinese working in Pakistan to address security concerns.
The land at Gawadar for free economic zone has already been made available.
"We have already trodden the journey to political and constitutional democracy since 2008, now CPEC will establish economic aspect of democracy in Pakistan by providing employment opportunities, eradicating poverty and improving the per capita income," he added.
"The economic rationale of CPEC will not benefit any single country or specific region in South Asia. It is the win-win project for China, Pakistan, Asia and rest of the world. The overdependence of investors on eastern China has made labour expensive and reduced returns to China. CPEC will open western china to Asian markets which have huge deposits of untapped resources of hydrocarbon and minerals", he added.
The Federal Minister appreciated National Defense University and ISSRA University for organising roundtable on such a project of great significance. He expressed hope that the upcoming visit of Chinese President will begin the implementation phase of multiple projects on infrastructure and energy and referred to recurrent visits of Chinese experts in Pakistan as the manifestation of how China is engaged in carrying out technical feasibility studies on multiple projects of energy and infrastructure.-PR