Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. PHOTO: INP
LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif boasted the speed at which projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor have progressed, saying that numerous agreements and MoUs have been signed in the past as well, but saw little material progress.
“However, the speed with which the agreements signed during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Pakistan in April 2015 have been implemented has surprised the whole world - from Washington to Tokyo and from Delhi to Moscow,” Sharif said while addressing the concluding session of the second international seminar on investment opportunities in Punjab on Tuesday.
The agreements and MoUs signed during the previous seminar in 2015 have also been speedily implemented, said Sharif.
He added that, like the first international seminar, the second one being held in Lahore has proved very successful from every aspect, and industrialists and investors from 26 different countries of the world have signed agreements worth billions of dollars for investment in different sectors of the province.
Sharif was confident that Pakistan will continue its progress and will develop to regain its lost glory.
“The day would come soon when Pakistan will get a position of prestige and honour in the world.
“I would appeal to national and international investors to invest in Pakistan, and in Punjab, and set up projects of development and prosperity,” he added.
Talking about ongoing projects, the Punjab CM said that Pakistan’s largest coal power project is going to be inaugurated within two days, and that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would formally inaugurate this 1,320-megawatt project.
“An investment of $1.8 billion has been made, and this project has been completed in a record period of time under CPEC.”
Additionally, today 660 megawatts of electricity from this project has been provided to the national grid, said Sharif.
Private meeting
Punjab CM also held separate meetings with heads of investment groups and foreign companies attending the international business seminar at a local hotel today.
The investors belonged to different countries including China, France, Turkey, Germany, Japan, South Korea and the UK.
They indicated strong interest in investment in energy, infrastructure, transport, healthcare, low-income housing schemes and industry.
Investors said that Punjab has paved way for speedy economic development in Pakistan by fast-track completion of development projects.
While appreciating pro-business policies, they said that Punjab is now the leading province in having a most conducive atmosphere for investors.
“We are ready to invest in both CPEC and non-CPEC projects,” they added.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 24th, 2017.
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