F.P. Report
Islamabad: “CPEC is bringing massive changes that are benefitting the common person in the country.” This was stated by the Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal at a workshop organized by the Center of Excellence for CPEC (CoE-CPEC), Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), Islamabad.
The workshop brought together experts and consultants on a consultative process for identifying key socio-economic indicators to map the impact of CPEC. Centre of Excellence designed and distributed field instruments amongst relevant stakeholders including ministries to get their inputs.
The workshop was inaugurated by the Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal, who gave valuable suggestions and thought provoking ideas for measuring socio-economic changes under the CPEC interventions that include infrastructure, energy, SEZs, tourism, Gwadar port, agriculture and other sectors included in the Long Term Plan of CPEC.
On this occasion Dr. Asad Zaman Vice Chancellor PIDE welcomed the chief guest and addressed the audience. He mentioned the importance of evidence-based research and appreciated the work of Socio-Economic division of CoE-CPEC. During the technical session, chaired by Dr. Shahid Rashid Executive Director CoE-CPEC, Professor Dr. Amir Khan explained the aims and objectives of the workshop and the various need-assessment tools. Dr. Khalid Omer, resource person of the workshop, detailed the methodologies and the instrument. Inputs were received from the participants from ministries, developing agencies, think thanks and academia. In the light of their comments the instrument will be improved as per suggestions of the participants.
