Govt completing CPEC-related projects on priority basis: PM

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the government is completing the CPEC-related projects on priority basis.

He was talking to a delegation of China Road and Bridge Corporation headed by its Vice President Ye Chengyin in Islamabad on Thursday.

The Prime Minister said the government is ensuring transparency in development projects and those relating to public importance will be completed on urgent basis.

Shehbaz Sharif said both Pakistan and China are longstanding friends and their relations date back to decades.

The Prime Minister said China has always stood by Pakistan in difficult times. He said the entire Pakistani nation is grateful to the Chinese leadership for their assistance to the flood victims.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister was given a detailed briefing on the ongoing and completed projects. It was informed that the Havelian-Thakot section of the Karakorum highway has been completed while work is in progress on its second phase from Thakot to Raikot.

The meeting was also apprised of the progress made on other projects including Karachi Coastal Development, Rashakai Special Economic Zone, Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway (M-9) Babusar Tunnel and railway corridor from Karachi Port Trust to Pipri.

The Prime Minister directed the authorities concerned to complete all the CPEC-related projects in the stipulated period.

The Chinese delegation was appreciative of the steps taken by the government for the timely completion of CPEC projects.  In addition, China Road and Bridge Corporation showed interest of investing in Pakistan's ten thousand megawatts solarization project.

Vice President Ye Chengyin presented a cheque of one hundred thousand dollars to the Prime Minister for the relief and assistance of flood victims.