ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Chairman Parliamentary Committee on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed on Thursday said that the Corridor was an important framework to further strengthen the Federation and federating units of Pakistan through connectivity and mutual benefits.
“CPEC is a game changer and important initiative for uniting the Federation of Pakistan by connecting the less developed and developed areas for the shared prosperity,” Mushahid Hussain Syed told APP in an exclusive interview here.
Highlighting the economic and development opportunities along the CPEC routes, he said, special economic zones, industrial parks and oil pipelines would create tremendous openings and employment opportunities for people across the country.
“We are grateful for the Chinese leadership for promoting One Belt, One Road Vision, of which CPEC is an important segment for the shared benefit and prosperity in the region,” he remarked.
Responding to a question, he said, some countries with vested interests were against this framework, but expressed the determination that the people and government would be able to counter such designs through diplomatic means and active involvement of the people.
He said, the people of Pakistan were the stakeholder to this gigantic project and as long as there was unity among their ranks and files, no enemy could dare to stop accomplishing this project of national importance.
Commenting on consensus reached among the political parties with regards to CPEC framework, he said, every political party was supportive of this initiative and there was a consensus among them that this project should be completed at any cost.
“They (political parties) want shared fruits and benefits for the less developed areas especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA) as it was their legitimate demand,” he added.
Senator Mushahid said China always played a very positive role in maintaining peace, security and stability in the region and beyond.
He said CPEC was not only a pilot project and game changer but also a pillar for economic growth of Pakistan and welfare of its people, besides its future.
CPEC, he said, would strengthen the regional connectivity through road, rail and pipeline networks and Pakistan was a link between China and rest of the region.
While felicitating the Chinese leadership and people on eve of 95th anniversary of foundation of Communist Party of China (CPC), he said, it was world’s the oldest and the biggest political party, having leading role for transforming lives of Chinese people, besides ensuring peace, prosperity of China and beyond the region.
He said, under the vision of Deng Xiaoping, a Chinese revolutionary and statesman in 1980, China emerged as a different developing country and as a result of his reforms, there was transformation of policies for good governance and prosperity for the people.
“We should learn lessons from the experience of Chinese model to make Pakistan an economically and technologically developed country,” he said
