Islamabad: Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Thursday that his government would accelerate the work on the $ 60 billion project of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) despite the problems related to Covid-19.
Overcoming ceremonies in Islamabad to mark the inauguration of the 600 kilovolt (KV) transmission line under the CPEC running between Matari and Lahore, Khan shows that the pandemic has jammed communication in many regions, causing travel prohibitions and supply chains that are affected across the world.
“This situation improves and progress will be seen again on projects related to CPEC,” he said.
Khan said the scope of the corridor project was being expanded from the power plant and road infrastructure projects on cooperation in the fields of industry and agriculture, which would help Pakistan reduce the burden of debt through wealth creation.
He said that the Lahore material transmission line was 886 kilometers from the art transmission line which would help reduce power losses.
Speaking on that occasion, the Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong said that CPEC had invested $ 25.4 billion and created 75,000 jobs, contributing significantly to the country’s socio-economic development.
He said the Matiara-Lahore transmission line would realize the safety and reliability of the grid system, optimizing energy distribution, optimizing from all countries and reducing electricity costs.
Last week, Khan in an interview with Newsweek said that the Pandemic Covid-19 might have slowed the progress of the CPEC project but developed ahead.
“China has invested around 25 billion dollars under the umbrella of the China-Pakistani economic corridor (CPEC)”, and that the USD 20 billion project is in implementation, he said, adding that “$ 25 billion project further in the pipeline”.
CPEC, which connects the Gwadar Port in Balochistan with Xinjiang Province China, is the leading project of Chinese President XI XI Jinping ambitious and road initiative (BRI).
Initially it was worth $ 46 billion, the CPEC project was worth $ 62 billion in 2017.
The belt and road initiative aimed at connecting Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Gulf Region, Africa and Europe with land and sea tissue.
India, the US and several other countries have highlighted concerns over the Ambitious Chinese BRI projects that can leave a number of small countries in debt traps.
The worries are getting hard after China takes over Port Hambantota Sri Lanka on renting 99 years.