India should benefit from CPEC: PM

F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, on the completion of 10 years of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Wednesday asked neighbouring India to take benefit of the mega project instead of creating obstacles in its way.
Highlighting the significance of project, he said Iran, Afghanistan, the Middle East and the whole region would also benefit from it. “CPEC is a beautiful plan to connect not only regions and areas but also people’s hearts,” he said in a statement issued by the PM Office.
The prime minister vowed to double the pace of the development as it was not only for improving roads, rail, sea ports and air routes, but it would also help health, education and skill development areas, besides masses’ participation in the process. Terming it a game changer for the whole region, the prime minister said CPEC would have a positive impacts on the people’s living standards in the region.
PM Shehbaz congratulated the leadership and the people of Pakistan and China on 10 years completion of CPEC, which was a new chapter of the evergreen and trusted strategic cooperative partnership between the two iron brothers. He said the project was a tremendous example of great Chinese leader Xi Jinping and PML-N Quaid Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’s vision of “development for all”.
“The Belt and Road initiative is the manifestation of Chinese President Xi’s vision of peace, friendship, and economic partnership.” He regretted that during the four years of previous government, hurdles were created in the way of the project, besides levelling baseless allegations against a great friend like China. “The enemies of CPEC are against peace, development and prosperity in Pakistan and the region, as they do not want to eradicate poverty from the country,” he added.
CPEC, he said, also initiated a new era of mutual partnership between Pakistan and China, and fortified their bilateral relationships. PM Shehbaz said CPEC encompassed multiple projects ranging from provision of water to education, and technical and skilled-based training. With the construction of nine Special Economic Zones (SEZs), new technology would be transferred to Pakistan, which would ultimately help increase local production, he said.
The prime minister also highlighted the impacts of the project on the effectiveness of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and early warning system for natural disasters as they were parts of CPEC. Similarly, he said, the agriculture related projects had also been included in CPEC to ensure food security.
PM praises President Xi, Nawaz Sharif for augmenting ‘Iron Brotherhood’: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that the last ten years were an inspirational story of how President Xi Jinping’s vision of “Iron Brotherhood” converted into the completion of projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework.
On his Twitter handle, the prime minister also praised the leadership role of his Quaid (former prime minister) Mian Nawaz Sharif in this regard. “I am witness to how he oversaw the project implementation in energy & infrastructure sectors, spending hours on fine-tuning the details, reviewing progress & ensuring timelines,” he added.
Without his (NS) supervision, he said they would not have completed the CPEC projects with the speed and efficiency that they did. The prime minister further said, today, Pakistan celebrated the completion of the Decade of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a transformational project that had been pivotal to Pakistan’s socio-economic development.
“However, in my view, we are still far from fully tapping the potential of CPEC, a worthy goal that has my personal & government’s staunch commitment,” he added.
Pakistan, Qatar to continue broadening their bilateral ties: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday hoped that the brotherly countries, Pakistan and the State of Qatar, would continue to broaden and deepen their bilateral relationship, particularly in trade and investment sectors.
The prime minister received Ambassador of the State of Qatar Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani for a farewell call, at the PM Office, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release. The prime minister, expressing satisfaction at longstanding brotherly relations between the two countries, appreciated ambassador Thani’s sterling contribution in further strengthening the fraternal ties.
He particularly mentioned the recent visit of the delegation from Qatar Investment Authority as a manifestation of Qatar’s interest in investing in various sectors of Pakistan’s economy. He noted the enhanced frequency of high-level interactions between the two countries and cooperation in the fields of food security, energy, IT, mining and defence.
The prime minister wished ambassador Al-Thani all success in his future assignments. Ambassador Al-Thani thanked the government and people of Pakistan for their hospitality and warmth, that made his stay in Pakistan truly memorable. Ambassador Thani arrived in Pakistan in the midst of the COVID 19 pandemic in 2020 and would be leaving Pakistan this month upon completion of his diplomatic assignment.
PM pays tributes to Captain Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday paid tributes to Captain KarnalSher Khan ShaheedNishan-i-Haider on his 24th martyrdom day. He said the nation salutes to all the martyrs including Captain Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed.
The prime minister said KarnalSher Khan Shaheed was such a brave son of Pakistan whose courage, valour and bravery were confessed by the enemy itself. Captain KarnalSher Khan turned into a lion like his name and pounced on the enemy chasing it away from the borders of the motherland, he said in a statement issued by the PM office.