ISLAMABAD: China and Pakistan on Tuesday signed a long-term plan at the 7th round of the Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Planning and Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, who headed the Pakistani delegation to the JCC, said that the committee had also approved the mega project of Karachi Circular Railway. It was agreed during the ministerial-level bilateral meeting that Gwadar projects, including the construction of the international airport and expressway, would be expedited at an even faster pace. Ahsan Iqbal said that the long-term plan would cover CPEC projects up to 2030. Physical work on Gwadar International Airport will start early next year, the committee approved. Highlighting the importance of the transfer of technology in the industrial cooperation in line with the CPEC construction, he said that it would promote knowledge-based economy in Pakistan. It was also agreed during the JCC meeting that another working group on agriculture would also be set up in addition to exiting five JWGs, including the long-term plan, Gwadar projects, security, industrial cooperation, and energy. Ahsan Iqbal said that security of the CPEC was also reviewed during the meeting. “Both the countries are aware of the risks and threats to the transnational project,” he added. He said that with the help of the CPEC, Pakistan’s economic development had taken off and no power could crash or derail it. “Projects worth of $27 billion have entered the implementation stage. He said that JCC has also launched the bilateral cooperation in the field of Information technology. All the federating units are at the same page regarding CPEC, which is evident from their participation in the JCC meeting,” he said. Around 150 officials from Pakistan and China attended the meeting along with the chief ministers of all the provinces and the AJK PM. The representatives of private sector, including traders, also participated in the meeting for the first time. Published in Daily Times, November 22nd 2017.