Report by Engineering Post
China and Pakistan have reiterated at the highest level their unwavering commitment under Phase-2 to implement the long-term plan of great game changer China-Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC) and prioritize five corridors, i.e. Growth Corridor, Innovation Corridor, Green Corridor, Livelihood Corridor and Regional Connectivity/Openness Corridor during the financial year 2025-26.
In industrial cooperation, out of the nine Special Economic Zones (SEZs), four economic zones namely Rashakai SEZ, Allama Iqbal Industrial Zone, Dhbeji SEZ, and Bostan SEZ, have been placed on the priority list. Since necessary utilities were being provided to these zones by all concerned agencies/organizations with utmost priority, it was duly expected by the authorities concerned that several industrial units will start their production., Rigorous marketing campaigns/ road shows were planned to be held in China for attracting more Chinese investments in these SEZs resulting in relocation of industries and transfer of technologies.
In the power sector, four projects will be considered at the appropriate levels in the overall CPEC Framework as per the agreed document “Guiding Principles for China Pakistan Economic Corridor Cooperative Energy Projects” so as to provide a stronger foundation for the energy cooperation during the next stage.
The petroleum sector. projects will be taken up in accordance with the “Development Plan for Oil & Gas for Pakistan”.
Tourism promotion as part of the Long-term Plan was another area of cooperation under the overall CPEC framework. Coastal tourism, eco-tourism in Gilgit-Baltistan, and integrated tourism zones in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) were among the areas in the tourism sector to be opened up for deliberations during the ongoing financial year.
In the Infrastructure sector, Karakoram Highway (KKH) (Thakot-Raikot section) and Upgradation of Railways Mainline -1( ML-1) from Karachi to Peshawar were the strategic projects that will hopefully achieve significant milestones in FY 2025-26.
