CPEC a fortune changer for Gilgit-Balitstan region: Ahsan

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reform, Ahsan Iqbal said on Wednesday that cooperation between Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan and Xingiang province of China can add a new chapter in China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) because of their geographic proximity.

The Minister proposed a five year plan for promoting cooperation and partnership between Xingiang and GilgitBaltistan in various fields. "We need to learn from China's development experience of establishing economic zones like the Kashgar economic zone," he added. The Minister expressed these views while having a meeting with the Chinese business and stated that economic integration and regional connectivity between Pakistan and Xingiang province is critical for making CPEC a success.

Ahsan Iqbal said that CPEC will take this friendship from higher than Himalayas to higher than stars. He said that regional and economic integration is very significant for the success of the CPEC projects. The Federal Minister mentioned that Mr. Zhnag Chuxian, Secretary of Communist Party of Xinjiang Province had a fruitful visit to Pakistan which laid foundation for stronger cooperation between Xinjiang and Pakistan. He said that the success of CPEC depends on business to business and people to people contacts of both the countries. Federal Minister said that Cooperation between China and Pakistan is not an ordinary one but we also have brotherly relations. Ahsan Iqbal said that we need to develop a very comprehensive roadmap of cooperation in different sectors between Pakistan and China particularly between the Xinjiang province and Gilgit Baltistan. The Minister said that cooperation between Pakistan and China would materialize in the form of solid projects and it will add colours in our friendship. He proposed that sports and education could be possible areas of cooperation between Gilgit and Xinjiang, as GB has very young population. The Minister also proposed that Chinese experts could visit Excellence Centre of Pakistan to create a better understanding of Chinese Economy in Pakistan. He said that both China and Pakistan are committed and working hard on CPEC projects and all the projects would complete in stipulated time. Yuan Jianmia appreciated the dynamism of Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reform for his dedication and commitment with CPEC and supported the proposals of Federal Minister, extending full support.