BRI cooperation transforms economic landscape

Envoy says mega project benefited Pakistanis through job creation, improved livelihoods

BEIJING:

Cooperation with China under the framework of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) “has transformed Pakistan’s economic landscape,” Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Moinul Haque said.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Haque spoke highly of the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship BRI project, saying it is “transformational” for his entire country. Besides the Gwadar Port, which he said has become the crown jewel of CPEC, Haque also lauded the eco-friendly Orange Line metro train in Lahore, the first of its kind in Pakistan, which officially opened for traffic in October 2020.

“You see the metro train, it is a world-class, high-quality public transport system. In Lahore, the second-largest city in Pakistan, people have this very efficient, very modern and affordable transport system,” he said.

According to Haque, BRI projects have benefited Pakistanis through job creation, improved livelihoods, eradicating poverty and upgrading remote areas.

Infrastructure development and energy upgrades have “helped change the economic, social and industrial landscape of Pakistan,” said Haque. So far, more than 70,000 jobs have been created thanks to BRI cooperation, Haque said, adding that according to Pakistani government’s forecast, another half a million direct and indirect jobs will be created in the next five to seven years.

He elaborated that “all these philosophies and dimensions of BRI directly contribute to the 17 SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).”

The 17 SDGs were adopted by all United Nations member states in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which include no poverty, zero hunger, good health and wellbeing, and others. Being a witness to the signing of a series of BRI cooperation agreements between Pakistan and China, the ambassador also shared his personal experiences with Xinhua.

He recalled the difficult nights when the temperature was as high as 40 degrees Celsius, the light went out and the fan stopped working due to power shortage, and one could not sleep.

Thanks to BRI projects, frequent power outages in peak season are now a thing of the past, he said.

The ambassador told Xinhua that his country is seeking more cooperation with China in industry modernisation and information technology (IT) since Pakistan began working on its Special Technology Zones.

THE ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED ON THE CHINA ECONOMIC NET

Published in The Express Tribune, March 16^th, 2022.

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