PM Abbasi assures Gilgit-Baltistan priority region for CPEC

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi met Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman at Prime Minister’s Office on Thursday.
Minister for Kashmir Affairs Chaudhry Muhammad Barjees Tahir, Deputy Chairperson Planning Commission of Pakistan Sartaj Aziz and senior government officials were present during the meeting.

Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan briefed the Prime Minister about various development projects including some landmark projects under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) portfolio.



Briefing the prime minister about the power situation in Gilgit-Baltistan, the Chief Minister said that the present government has added 54MW to the existing 82MW power capability in the past two years. He added that this increase is a milestone achievement seen in the power generation field in the past 70 years.

He informed the prime minister that the recovery situation of power dues has also witnessed significant improvement and stands around 80 per cent recoveries at present. He said that work on establishment of regional power grid was underway.

Hafeez said that the two proposed power projects of 180 MW capacity under CPEC project would be instrumental in meeting the energy requirements of the region.

He also briefed the prime minister about the efforts of G-B Government to promote tourism in the region. He proposed that increased PIA flights to Gilgit would help to promote tourism in the region.



The chief minister also apprised the prime minister about the progress on various landmark projects including the establishment of a cancer hospital, a medical college and a cardiology centre for the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.

The prime minister reiterated that the government was committed to the development of the region, socio-economic empowerment and uplift of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. He said that CPEC project would create new economic opportunities for the people of the region.

The prime minister assured the chief minister that all proposed projects relating to Gilgit-Baltistan, under the CPEC portfolio would be pursued for their early finalisation and implementation. He said that Dir-Chitral CPEC Link Road project was being accorded priority.