Provincial development key priority in CPEC, CM assured

Kamal expresses satisfaction over Bakhtiar’s assurance of meeting Balochistan’s demands

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar on Thursday said development of Balochistan was the key priority of the federal government.

Talking to Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan at the Balochistan House here, the minister said the Western route was one of the most important projects of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and its Zhob-DI Khan section was one of the key agenda to be discussed during the 8th meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee of CPEC to be held next week in Beijing.
Senators and members of the National Assembly from Balochistan were also present on the occasion.

Balochistan development top priority: Chinese envoy

The minister said that implementation of the project would open up and ensure socio-economic development of the remote regions of Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

The minister further said substantial progress was expected on Gwadar projects during the eighth JCC. "Implementation of four important projects of Gwadar, including New Gwadar Airport, hospital, technical institute and 300 megawatts power plant, is an important part of the forthcoming CPEC’s apex body meeting," he added.

“Pakistan and China have agreed to initiate socio-economic development projects in the less-developed areas of the country under CPEC wherein Balochistan will be given an adequate share. Projects in this important sector would be implemented during next three years.”

CPEC is the only way forward, says CM Kamal

The minister highlighted that mega projects in infrastructure and water sectors in Balochistan would also be implemented through the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

Chief Minister Kamal expressed satisfaction over the inclusion of the Western route project in the agenda of JCC, saying completion of the CPEC infrastructure and social sector projects with the support of the federal government would pave the way for the development of Balochistan.

He said construction of water sector projects would help control severe water scarcity in the province.