Punjab govt to form six working groups on CPEC

Aims to capitalise on opportunity, wants existing businesses to benefit as well

LAHORE: The Punjab government is going to constitute six separate working groups in a bid to analyse and realise maximum opportunities from the 285km western route of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The route, which comprises the neglected districts of Attock, Chakwal and Mianwali, will provide with prospects for development in the region. Therefore, the provincial government is aiming to capitalise on the opportunity.



The six working groups, which would include experts, secretaries and consultants, will analyse how to achieve connectivity between the three districts and rest of the country, with specific focus on restricting population migration to current urban centres of the province.

“The basic idea behind the development is to provide the population of these districts with equal opportunities in civic sector and in employment by providing them technical training,” said Internal Ministerial Committee Chairman Malik Nadeem Kamran.



“The Punjab Planning and Development (P&D) department will formally issue a notification in a few days and it is expected that the groups will submit their recommendations within the next 15-20 days,” he added, stating that the P&D will prepare a final draft by April 20.

The six groups consist of Infrastructure and Development, Social, Agriculture and Livestock, Minerals and Mines, Energy, and Special, with the last one overseeing tourism and sports in the region.

The chairman also said that while materialising all the projects, it should be considered that the new industrial zones must not hurt Pakistan’s existing businesses.

Meanwhile, Punjab Minister for Mines and Mineral Chaudhry Sher Ali Khan, who holds a constituency in Attock, said that the whole belt is considered as a water-scarce area and no development could be made until the issue is resolved.



“Before considering any new development in the area, we should look to resolve the scarcity of water in the region. We should focus on building small dams to overcome water deficiency,” he said, adding that only the availability of water will boost economic growth.

The minister further said that the existing road network is wearing down fast due to frequent movements of heavy machineries.

Subsequently, it was advised that the P&D should take up the matter with the federal government to keep funds for road network’s rehabilitation from CPEC projects.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 18^th, 2017.

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