Punjab, Chinese firm to launch Mass Transit Project

[Naveed Yaseen]

CHIEF Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said the Mass Transit Project is of paramount importance and the Punjab government wants to launch it immediately to provide better facilities of communication to people.

He said provision of comfortable and quality travelling facilities to the masses was top priority of the government and a strategy had been adopted in this regard.

Talking to a delegation of Chinese company, Norinco International, led by its Vice-President Mr Hu Farong here on Tuesday, the chief minister said China was extending full cooperation in various development sectors, adding that Pak-China friendship was immortal and peoples of both the countries had great love for each other. He said Norinco International and the Punjab government could jointly start the Mass Transit Project.

Mr Shahbaz lauded the cooperation of China in various sectors in Punjab and added that an agreement of provision of CNG buses with a Chinese company had been recently signed under which CNG buses would ply in the big cities of the province and the project had been started from the provincial metropolis. Similarly, an agreement of BT Cotton Technology had been signed with another Chinese company, he said, adding that China was also cooperating with the government in different sectors, including Heavy Mechanical Complex, and his government wanted China to come forward in the Mass Transit Project and review to start this important joint venture.

The chief minister said China had made great progress in various sectors in a very short span of time and Pakistan wanted to benefit from Chinese progress and its latest technology.

He said that he had witnessed metro train during his recent visit to Iran and he wanted to start such an important project as soon as possible. He said a joint committee could be constituted which could be helpful for furthering the project after holding discussions about it. He said Pakistan is a developing country and its resources were limited, therefore, the mass transit project should be completed as a low cost masterpiece by remaining within limited resources. He said mass transit project would prove to be a milestone with regard to development of the province and provision of better travelling facilities to the citizens.

It was agreed during the meeting that Chinese company, Norinco International, and Punjab government could start the Mass Transit Project as a joint venture.

Head of the delegation, Mr Hu Farong said the chief minister had done a lot of work on the Mass Transit Project and they would soon present a course of action in this regard. He agreed that a joint committee could also be constituted to start the project jointly. Earlier, Transport secretary gave a detailed briefing regarding various aspects of the Mass Transit Project and site visits.

The Industries secretary and Punjab Investment Board deputy chairman were also present.

Those who met the chief minister included Mr Sun Wankqi, the deputy general manager Engineering Department of Norinco Company, Ms Cui Dongjian, project manager, International Engineering, representative of Norinco Business in Islamabad Mr Yin Lujon, Chief Executive Officer of Fecto Technologies, Pakistan, Muhammad Yasin, Senior Manager Business Development Fecto Technologies Pakistan Lt Col ® Sohail Ahmad, Business Development Senior Manager Capt ® Shahnawaz and Consultant Mazhar Iqbal.

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