Gwadar may be given special status for speedy development: Nawaz

[Salman]

BEIJING, Jul 5 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Friday said that the government desires to develop Gwadar Port on Hong Kong model and it may be given special status through necessary legislation to ensure speedy execution of the project.In a meeting with President China Overseas Port Holding Company Limited Sun Ziyun, the Prime Minister said there should be no delay in the infrastructural development of Gwadar and assured government’s all out cooperation to the companies engaged in Gwadar’s development.He said the government wanted to develop an airport of international standard in Gwadar and called for early completion of the repair and rehabilitation works on Karakorum Highway. Nawaz Sharif said KKH was of utmost importance that should be rehabilitated without any delay so that the bilateral trade between Pakistan and China may flourish.
He also urged the Chinese company’s head to accomplish the rehabilitation work on Attabad Lake and surrounding areas.
In response, Sun Ziyun said work on Attabad Lake would be completed by 2016 while the rehabilitation of KKH would complete a year earlier.
President of China Overseas Port Holding Company Limited told Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that for Gwadar’s development, assistance would be sought from China Development Bank.
He said the roads infrastructure in Gwadar would be connected with the communication network of rest of the country to facilitate transportation of goods.
Deputy Director General/Vice Minister, State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND), Wang Yi Ren also met Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.
On this occasion, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that he feels happy to see the dream of JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft - a joint production of Pakistan and China - coming true, as it was he who had signed the agreement to this effect with the Chinese Premier in 1997. He said Pakistan and China enjoy timed-tested friendship and one objective of his visit to China was to enhance bilateral cooperation in all spheres.
The Prime Minister said he has held useful meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang.
“Today we have signed several agreements and MoUs and I Premier Li Keqiang talked on energy, infrastructure development and various other projects”, he added. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that Chinese Premier assured that he wanted to help Pakistan so that the pressing issue of power shortage in the country is addressed.
About Pak-China Economic Corridor, for which the two sides signed agreement on Friday, the Prime Minister said the project was highly beneficial not only for Pakistan alone but for the whole region.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that his government intends to complete all development projects including the energy projects in the shortest possible time.
Chairman China Three Gorges Corporation, Cao GuangJing also called on Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and told that his company was executing nine power projects in Pakistan.
Out of these projects, he said one each was underway in Kohala, Karot and Jhampir. He said work on Jhampir project was heading on swift pace that would produce 50 megawatts on completion.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif assured the company’s head to address any problem confronting the company in execution of projects.
He said there was huge potential for hydro power projects in Pakistan and the Corporation should invest maximum capital in this sector.
Cao GuangJing offered company’s technical assistance to Pakistan for Diamer Bhasha Dam project besides expressing willingness to carry out more hydel power projects in the country.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif invited Cao GuangJing to visit Pakistan along with project proposals for their there timely execution.
Vice Chairman China Coal Technology and Engineering Group Corporation (CCTEGC) Wang Jinhua also called on Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister said that as far as energy was concerned, Pakistan was facing this certain problem. Power shortages have badly affected our economy, he added.
He said during his meetings with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, they assured their support to address the energy problem in Pakistan.
The Prime Minister said since the CCTEGC had vast experience in coal technology, Pakistan would like to benefit from its expertise.
“We want to fully utilize Pakistan’s coal reserves for the provision of economical power to masses”, he said and appreciated the support and assistance of CCTEGC in this regard.
Wang Jinhua thanked Prime Minister Sharif for providing him an opportunity of meeting and assured all out support of CCTEGC to Pakistan, which he said, had good prospects of power generation through coal.
The Prime Minister said the PML-N government desired to have power producing units set up near the coal site and wanted to complete this work on a fast pace. “We want to fully benefit from the country’s precious coal reserves”.
Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif, Chief Minister Balochistan Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatimi, Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani, Ambassador Masood Khalid and senior government officials were also present during the meetings.