BEIJING: Minister for Interior and Planning, Development and Reform, Ahsan Iqbal has said that Long Term Plan (LTP) of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) provided a conceptual framework for the CPEC up to 2030, and also delivered a framework for the industrialization in the country.
“To finalize the LTP, the government consulted the provinces, the federal ministries, and their respective technical groups,” he said in his interview published in ‘Beijing Review’ here on Tuesday.
He said that the plan was completely in line with the seven pillars of the Pakistan Vision 2025, which were founded on the economic principles of inclusive and sustainable development.
“The seven salient features of the LTP are connectivity, energy, trade and industrial parks, agricultural development and poverty alleviation, tourism, cooperation in areas concerning people’s livelihoods and non-governmental exchanges and financial cooperation,” he added.
The minister said, “CPEC will greatly speed up the industrialization and urbanization process in Pakistan and help it grow into a highly inclusive, globally competitive and prosperous country capable of providing high-quality life to its citizens.” Terming it a route to success and sharing some of the significant features of CPEC’s long-term plan for industrialization of Pakistan, he said that connectivity was the cornerstone of development, adding, “It increases the flow of goods, information and people across regions.”
He said that an integrated transport system was central to the LTP which included the construction and development of Kashgar-Islamabad, Peshawar-Islamabad-Karachi, Hakla-Dera Ismail Khan, Sukkur-Gwadar Port and Dera Ismail Khan-Quetta-Sohrab-Gwadar road infrastructure, which sought to improve connectivity within Pakistan and interconnectivity with China. “The development of Gwadar Port City, Gwadar airport and Easy Bay expressway are going to transform the city of Gwadar into a maritime trade hub and a new smart port city for the region. It will also lead to the industrialization of Balochistan,” he added.
Published in Daily Times, January 10th 2018.
