Caretaker Planning Minister Muhammad Sami Saeed on Tuesday directed relevant authorities to expedite work on projects initiated under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Gwadar, stressing they will support development in Balochistan.
Chairing a meeting in Gwadar to review progress of CPEC projects, the minister was briefed by representatives of various ministries and divisions on their implementation, according to a statement issued by the Information Ministry. It said he had highlighted how major projects—including the Gwadar Power Plant; distribution of boat engines to fishermen; Khuzdar-Panjgur Transmission line connecting Markran with the National Grid; the New Gwadar International Airport; the China-Pak Friendship Hospital; China-Pak Technical and Vocational Institute; the Gwadar East-bay Expressway Project; Gwadar Free Zone; Gwadar Port—would become shining pearls for the region.
Stressing that the caretaker government was committed to implementing CPEC projects, Saeed noted that budgetary allocation for Balochistan had doubled in the ongoing fiscal, indicating the federal government was committed to uplifting the province.
Noting several projects related to the education, health, and the social sector were completed in Balochistan to facilitate its people, he reaffirmed that the government would continue its efforts to uplift the province. According to the statement, officials of the Interior Ministry gave a detailed briefing to the forum on the security of Chinese nationals working in Pakistan. It said the minister had asked the relevant ministry and provincial governments to further beef up security to avoid any untoward incidents.
Apart from the interim planning minister, the secretary Planning; secretary Maritime Affairs; chief economist; Gwadar Port Authority chairman; Gwadar Development Authority director-general; and other representatives from various ministries attended the meeting.