Islamabad: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has directed to complete the infrastructure projects – planned as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) by the end of 2017 – by mobilising resources and completing financial and technical formalities.
The prime minister was chairing a high-level meeting of CPEC to review the progress of infrastructure and energy projects. Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, secretaries of Water and Power and Planning and Development briefed the prime minister of various projects under CPEC.
They informed the prime minister that the major infrastructure projects of Peshawar–Karachi Motorway including Sukkar-Multan, Gojra-Khanewal and Lahore-Abdul Hakim sections of the motorway were ready for groundbreaking. The meeting also reviewed the Havelian to Thakot road project and other sections of the Korakoram Highway that are being upgraded.
– Road projects in Balochistan –
The meeting reviewed the progress about the Gawadar East Bay Expressway, Mughalkot-Dera Ismail Khan Road and various other road projects in Balochistan. Prime Minister Nawaz said that the completion of the road projects in Balochistan under CPEC would be a gamer changer for the region. He directed that all necessary arrangements must be completed before the inauguration so that the physical work is started right after the inauguration.
– Opening of Attabad tunnel likely in August –
The prime minister was informed that work on Attabad tunnel in Gilgit was complete and ready for inauguration in last week of August 2015. The prime minister – who will inaugurate the tunnel – also directed to complete the work on new Gawadar International Airport in the shortest possible time. He was briefed about the projects of up-gradation of 10 railway stations on Peshawar–Karachi main railway line.
The prime minister directed for high quality up-gradation of the railway stations, provisioning of maximum facilities to the passengers, and to utilise the buildings of the railway stations for economic and commercial activities. Besides Ahsan Iqbal, other senior officers also attended the meeting.
