‘CPEC has created opportunities for eliminating poverty’

Former PM says BRI has brought innovation, energy for development of enterprises

BEIJING: The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a key project under “One Belt and One Road” initiative and it has created opportunities for eliminating poverty for the local people, said former prime minister Shaukat Aziz.

In an interview to a Chinese newspaper, he said that he believed the ‘One Belt and One Road’ has brought innovation and energy to the development of enterprises.

Construction of CPEC has created opportunities for the locals to enjoy a more prosperous life to eradicate poverty, said Aziz. He mentioned that Pakistan lacks resources and needs assistance in the form of loans from other places. The ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ will help Pakistan reduce poverty, promote infrastructure construction, economic development, and promote bilateral relations, he added.



He pointed out that many countries have also proposed similar cooperation and win-win initiatives, such as the United Kingdom’s International Development Department (DFID) to provide financing for Pakistan’s infrastructure construction, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) also has projects in Pakistan for water conservancy and road construction.

However, these are not as clear and comprehensive as the Belt and Road Initiative. The depth, impact and breadth of China’s “One Belt and One Road” initiative are stronger than others, Aziz remarked.

At the Boao forum, multinational companies expressed willingness to actively participate in the “One Belt and One Road” initiative. Aziz also said in his speech that the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ has created global shared growth and prosperity opportunities so that everyone can benefit from it. Therefore, it has received extensive attention. This project not only promotes local economic development, but also helps improve the local infrastructure conditions, and many people have thus obtained employment opportunities.