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08-10-2016, 04:45 AM
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CPEC gateway to prosperity: Shahbaz
Says project’s continuity important whether one party or the other is in power; Punjab’s speed is Pakistan’s speed; military hierarchy providing full support; external elements will try to sabotage CPEC
LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, while terming the China Pakistan Eco**mic Corridor (CPEC) a gateway to prosperity for the country, has said any opposition to the mega project was in fact opposition to Pakistan. He was speaking at the Jang Media Group’s event titled “Breakfast with Jang” and “Pakistan China Eco**mic Opportunities” here on Tuesday. The event started with Fateha for the Quetta martyrs and prayers for the early recovery of those injured in the incident. Shahbaz condemned terrorism and said the entire nation was united to eliminate this menace forever, adding that prosperity was **t possible without fighting terrorism. He linked eco**mic and religious divides to growing extremism and said: “We need to bridge these divides.” On various occasions, the chief minister became emotional and said the CPEC continuity was important whether one party or the other was in power. “Pakistan is **w on the road to recovery,” Shahbaz said while lamenting the indifferent attitude of successive governments vis-à-vis issues of vital national interests, especially the energy crisis. The energy deficit would **w largely be met by the next year or by 2018, he said, adding that the fast work on energy projects in Punjab under the CPEC was also being ack**wledged by the Chinese leadership. “Punjab’s speed is Pakistan’s speed,” he said and added: “The credit goes to entire Pakistan and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and **t to me.” He said the military hierarchy was also providing full support in this context. He said: “We should work with dedication for the CPEC success as such opportunities are **t there always. This project will in fact empower and prosper the common man.” he said and added: “The external elements will try to sabotage this project.” He said the $46 billion CPEC project was **t the Chinese investment but the spirit of generosity for the people of Pakistan. “For God’s sake, don’t disrupt the CPEC. God forbid, if we fail to complete this mega project, the coming generations will curse us. We need to cash this wonderful opportunity,” he said. Lauding the Chinese leadership, Shahbaz said many world powers were interested in the development of Gwadar and questioned why ** one except China came forward. About transparency in CPEC projects in Punjab, he said: “If anybody proves corruption of a single penny, I will go home.” He said the government-to-government projects were always exempted from the tendering process in Pakistan but the Orange Line Metro Train Project under the CPEC was the only project in the 65 years history of the country for which tendering took place. “Also we were able to save a whopping Rs 80 billion after negotiation with the lowest bidder.” This negotiation could have been avoided as the lowest bidder had already got the project as per the law but “still we did our best to save as much as we could”, he said, adding that the Sahiwal Coal Power Plant would be completed in a record time and would start adding 1320 megawatts of electricity to the national grid by the next year. He said the same project in India was completed in four years while China completed it in 24 months. “We will, Insha’Allah, complete our project in 23 months.” He said apart from the CPEC, the government was working on 3,600 megawatts power projects. “I have asked the prime minister to start other power projects too,” he said, adding that it’s good **t to put all eggs in one basket. A candid question-answer session was also held in the end in which the general public registered for the event raisedvarious questions. To a question by a foreign journalist, Shahbaz said the CPEC was a federal project and all departments were playing their role in it. Explaining as to how the public money was wasted in the country, he said the Neelum-Jhelum project was started under Gen Musharraf’s regime in 2005, but it was still incomplete. He also explained as to how a Sindh minister kept the file of the Nandipur Power Project for years and the project hit a snag for petty personal interests. He regretted ** one staged sit-in over these issues but he (Shahbaz Sharif) was criticized when he sat at the Minar-e-Pakistan ground in protest against energy crisis. He said Punjab’s share in CPEC energy projects was the lowest as compared to other provinces while Sindh’s was highest, but he was happy that the mega project was for the good of the entire country. “After all every megawatt produced will go to the national grid.” To a question on the role of IT in governance, the chief minister lauded the services of Dr Umar Saif, chairman of Punjab Information Tech**logy Board (PITB), and said he would float the idea of Digital Pakistan to the prime minister. Ack**wledging the presence of some foreigners at the event, he remained bilingual, swiftly shifting between Urdu and English. Earlier, the event host ? Sikandar Lodhi ? and Jang Group's Sarmad Ali thanked the chief minister for sparing time to speak on an important subject. In the end, the chief minister awarded shields to the event organisers. أكثر... 
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