Daily Times

KARACHI: After coming back from the international roundtable leaders forum held in China, Chief Minister of Sindh, Sayed Murad Ali Shah called a press briefing on Tuesaday at his House, in which he has said that the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) which is a part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework, would be will be inaugurated by the end of this year.

Shah said that he also attended the JCC meeting in China in which he got included three important projects including; Karachi Circular Railway worth $2.609 million, Keti Banadar Power Park, Transmission Line, Road, railway and Jetty of $5,000 million and Dhabeji Exclusive Economic Zone for which feasibility is underway.” These projects would not only be beneficial for the people of Karachi but the entire Sindh will reap it’s fruits in terms of transport facilities and power generation”.

Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had taken initiative by shaking hands of friendship with China while the spade work of CPEC was done by Former President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif signed the MoU for CPEC in July 2013, just after two months of coming into power. “Therefore, we say that the wisdom of our leadership, our hard-work and our close relationship with China founded by Shaheed Bhutto and cemented by Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and Asif Zardari translated into CPEC, a mega project and a game changer in our economy and for our strength”.

Responding to a question about the meetings of the Prime Minister with Chinese leadership, he said, “By attending the Belt and Road Forum together, the four chief ministers gave a positive signal to the Chinese leadership that the entire nation was united on close friendly and economic relations between Pakistan and with China.”

Murad Ali Shah said that the Chinese President, Xi Jinping particularly appreciated all political forces for their participation in the forum.

To a question, Shah said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a very small project of One-Belt One-Road (OBOR) that will connect at least 64 countries physically, commercially, culturally and through other links. Countries from all over the world will be connected that seems to bring prosperity in the region.

In a reply to another question, he said that local and indigenous people must be employed in the on-going works under CPEC projects. The Chinese companies will continue to bring and engage their own work force until we train our people” We need to train our people to make them engaged in these projects”.

To another question regarding the shelling on PSP workers, he said that the PSP leaders had asked permission only to protest within the boundaries of FTC building.” They were charged as their crossed their limits”, using children for achieving their interest is really insane”, PPP has always been with in its limits while protesting in a demonstration.

He expressed the confidence and termed the CPEC is an important flagship programme under One Belt One Road Initiative that will indeed bring fruitful results for Pakistan as well as China CPEC.