Chinese investors visit Gwadar, discuss projects under CPEC

Officials from the Chinese Development Bank and the Centre of Social and Economic Development Research visited Gwadar and inspected the port city for a possible investment under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Chairman Gwadar Port Authority (GPA), Dostain Khan Jamaldani, alongside the Director General of Gwadar Development Authority, Sajjad Hussain, welcomed the two Chinese delegations and gave a briefing on the projects currently under work. The Chinese delegations were led by the Vice President of China's Central Development Bank, Xaio Mingzheng and the Chief of the Centre for Social and Economic Development Research, Duan Linyun.

The officials from China visited the Port Civic Centre, Gwadar Free Trade Zone, Gwadar Development Authority and Gwadar Port Complex. The team from China Central Development Bank voiced their interest towards investing in Gwadar and the projects that are under the domain of CPEC.

Previously, the executive secretary of the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Dr Shamshad Akhtar, had praised the initiatives taken by the federal government through projects like CPEC to bring economic prosperity in Pakistan.

The UN official stated that projects like CPEC and the TurkmenistanAfghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline will ensure a better living standard for the people in the region and will bring economical development in Pakistan. She also praised the efforts made by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to bring an economical change in the country through his efforts since he took charge of the office in 2013.

During a meeting with the Prime Minister, Dr Shamshad Akhtar stated that through CPEC, Pakistan will enhance its regional stability. She added that Pakistan's economy needs an uplift which will be triggered through such projects in the long run (CPEC). Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif stated that the federal government has helped Pakistan to come out of the economical crisis that it faced when the government took charge in 2013.

He also said that the law and order situation in Pakistan has improved immensely due to which Pakistan is viewed as a 'different' country as it was viewed a few years ago. "Our government has pulled the country out of numerous crises and today Pakistan is viewed as a different country from what it was a few years ago." said the PM.

Moreover, talking on CPEC, Maulana Haideri said that the project has the capability to change the destiny of the people of Balochistan. He added that through CPEC, Pakistan will greatly improve its image in the world. He warned the provinces over the increasing conspiracies being crafted by the neighboring states against the implementation of CPEC in Pakistan.