SUKKUR, Pakistan: The Chairman Senate Foreign Affairs Committee and Pakistan China Institute Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed has said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a guarantor of prosperous Pakistan, and it will continue with the same momentum as before during its new phase.
“There is no question of CPEC slowing down or being stopped, as it is the core interest of Pakistan like the Nuclear program and Kashmir issue,” he said during the Seminar “Friends of Silk Road” Organized by the Pakistan China Institute (PCI) in cooperation with the Sindh government and the Embassy of China to mark the successful completion of Sukkur-Multan Motorway, which is a CPEC Mega Project.
The event was held at the IBA University Sukkur with the attendance of over 400 persons including Politicians, Parliamentarians, Ministers, Senior Bureaucrats, Media, Civil Society, Students and Scholars as well as the University Vice Chancellor. The Auditorium of IBA was packed to capacity.
The former Cabinet Minister Khursheed Shah, Sindh Senior Minister Nisar Khoro and Mayor of Sukkur Arsalan Shaikh and Consul General of China in Karachi, Wang Yu attended the function.
Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed also thanked China for its prompt and resolute support to Pakistan during the current crisis on Kashmir and said the China has demonstrated it is indeed “Our best Friend and Reliable Partner”. He also congratulated China for celebrating this year the 70th Anniversary of founding of the People’s Republic of China. Mushahid gave the credit for the rise and progress of China to great leaders like Chairman Mao, Deng Xiaoping and President Xi Jinping.
Mushahid Hussain Sayed also paid tribute to the former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the former President Asif Ali Zardari for their role in launching CPEC and strengthening Pakistan-China relations, adding that the Sukkur-Multan Motorway, which provided employment to 29,000 Pakistanis will unite the Federation of Pakistan and promote Economic Development through facilitating land communication between Sindh and Punjab as well as other parts of Pakistan like Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtukhwa, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan. Senator Hussain said the project has been implemented in such a manner so as to ensure harmony with the Environment as well as local communities all along this route.
Speaking of CPEC, Senator Mushahid Hussain welcomed the establishment of CPEC Authority and expressed hope that it will expedite coordination between Federal Government and Provinces as well as departments within the federal government through ‘one window operation’.
Terming ‘CPEC as already success story as it not just launched new projects successfully but dead projects like Thar Coal and Gwadar Port were revived and were now running successfully. Thar Coal project was not only carrying out mining but was generating electricity which is now contributing to the National Grid & Thar has witnessed women’s empowerment as women were driving Dumper Trucks. Gwadar Port, built by China was now running successfully and China has also gifted the International Airport in Gwadar through donation of $250 million.
Mushahid said that 70,000 Pakistanis are working in CPEC, 28000 Pakistanis students are studying in China which has also offered 20,000 scholarships to Pakistani students for next three years.
Senator Mushahid Hussain cited up a unique feature of Pakistan-China relations saying that China was the only country which gave assistance to Pakistan without any political springs attached and CPEC is a vote of confidence in the future of Pakistan launched at a time when no country was willing to invest in Pakistan and CPEC also gave new hope, confidence and faith in the future of the people of Pakistan.
Senator Mushahid Husain also announced that next week a High Powered Military Delegation from China would be visiting Pakistan under the Leadership of the Vice Chairman of Central Military Commission of China and that China Foreign Minister Wang Yi would be the special guest of honor of Pakistan during September 6, Defence of Pakistan Day.
Khursheed Shah and Nisar Khoro also spoke on the occasion and said that CPEC was a National Strategic project which was above any considerations of person, party, province or government and they fully supported CPEC and completion of all projects.
A presentation of Sukkur-Multan Motorway was also given by China’s State Construction Engineering Company, which is the world’s biggest construction Company.
At the end of the seminar, which lasted for over three hours there was a lively question and answer session followed by distribution of Gifts and souvenirs to the visiting guests Consul General Wang Yu announced that China would support the establishment of Confucius institute at IBA University which currently has 4000 students from all over Pakistan, 40% of whom are girls.
The seminar was conducted by the Executive Director PCI Mustafa Hyder Sayed.
