Daily Times

KARACHI: “CPEC provides the perfect opportunity to bring advance manufacturing and production capacity enhancement to Pakistan. CPEC has already created 30,000 jobs in its early stages and we need to train more Pakistanis for millions of jobs to be created.” This was stated by Senator Sherry Rehman at the CPEC Summit 2018 in Karachi.

“As the first ship docked at Gwadar Port in March 2018, CPEC started creating an impact in all provinces, and it is probably among the few things about which the whole of Pakistan shares similar sentiments, despite internal differences,” she said.

Senator Rehman said that those with doubts about CPEC should look closely and perhaps get involved as a stakeholder as CPEC was there to benefit everyone. She termed the ongoing century as the Asian century, saying that she expected many more opportunities for the country in the coming decades.

“Going forward, CPEC is the most important project for Pakistan, and the next government has to take all the factors in account to ensure smooth management so that it can strategically address all challenges like e-transactions and debt payment,” said Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair.

He said that CPEC was not at the cost of economic relations with America or Europe as it also provided opportunities to the rest of the world, besides China and Pakistan.

The governor said it was heartening that national cohesion was depicted by the representation of all provinces and different sectors in the CPEC Summit 2018, which had shed light not only at the benefits of CPEC but challenges it may pose and also suggested solutions.

“The time has come for China to take center stage on issues like peace in the Korean peninsula, social, environmental and economic issues in the region. It will find its friend Pakistan standing beside it.”

“We see China as Pakistan’s best friend that’s why Pakistan is the only country which supports the core interest, i.e. unity and territorial integrity of China without any reservation,” he added.

“SMEs in China are going to relocate to other countries and Pakistan’s SEZs will have a great opportunity in this regard. It is the time of elections and our Chinese friends demand political stability and continuation of policies hence we have to ensure free and fair elections,” said Mushahid Hussain Syed, the chairman of the Pakistan China Institute.

“30 percent of the global economic activity is fueled by Chinese economic growth and OBOR is the biggest project of the 21st century. We have already started seeing transformational chnages but the best is yet to come,” he added.

The Chinese delegation attending the summit said that during 1980s the per capita income of China stood at US $ 190, whereas Pakistan was faring much better at US$ 240. However, China turned that around by adopting an open policy and now its per capita income was over US $9,000, while Pakistan made slow progress to increase it to US$ 1,600 only in almost 40 years.

“We want our brother country not to fall too much behind and to step up in the progress and we would help Pakistan on every step of the way to prosperity,” stressed the speakers.

The Chinese delegation also expressed its love for Urdu language and said that China was trying to overcome language barriers. “Only one or two universities were teaching Urdu in China before CPEC and now over 10 universities are teaching Urdu language,” said the speakers.

Babar Badat, the president of the International Federation of Logistics Associations, chaired the session on logistics where Tariq Rangoonwala, the chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce; Rear Admiral Jamil Akhtar, the chairman of the Karachi Port Trust; Asad Rafi Chandna, the acting chairman of the Port Qasim Port Authority; Zhang Baozhong, the chairman of the China Overseas Port Holding Co. Gwadar Port; and Ali Jameel, the chief executive of the TPL Corp.; were among others who shared their views.

“China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will boost opportunities in logistics business manifolds as millions of containers are expected to move cargo from Gwadar/Sust to China annually,” said Ali Jameel, CEO TPL Corp. “Container tracking will play a pivotal role in logistics related to CPEC not only to ensure that no pilferages happen but also to ensure safety of cargo and drivers by monitoring their driving behavior and fatigue levels.”

He said that technology can help monitor if vehicles deviate from their prescribed routes or make an unusual or unplanned stop, the container door is opened, drivers’ driving behavior with regards to safety and his fatigue levels while ensuring mandatory rest and also enable drivers to raise SoS in emergencies.

Zhang Baozhong said that COPHC had invested $50 million by March 2018 for port facilities upgrading, surrounding environment and port business. The terminal handling efficiency has greatly improved after the five new STS Gantry Cranes and Gwadar Port has achieved its full operational capability. It can accommodate two 50,000-ton vessels simultaneously and handle bulk-cargo, general cargo, containers and RORO efficiently.

Rear Admiral Jamil Akhtar said that the CPEC had provided Pakistan an opportunity to become logistical hub/supply chain for south, central and western Asia, Middle East and Western China. “CPEC can be used as a stepping stone for boosting Global Competitiveness.”

Energy experts said that availability of sufficient energy was crucial for industries along with infrastructure to remain competitive. They said that the Thar Coal project was central to solving energy woes of Pakistan, while alternative energy projects, relating to CPEC will play a crucial role to help meet country’s energy demand.

The speakers also stressed on the need to upgrade and expand transmission lines, while also taking steps to improve recovery of dues by distribution companies, failure of which will result in exponential rise of circular debt, specially once the new power generation project come online and demand of energy increases. It was also discussed to provide free electricity to the citizens who consume up to 60 units of electricity a month as they opined that the cost to recover bills from such consumers is much more than the amount to recover.

Shah Jahan Mirza, the managing director of the Private Power & Infrastructure Board (PPIB), said that 11,000 MW power generation and 4,000 MW transmission line projects were currently being managed by the board.

Published in Daily Times, April 25th 2018.