The Main Line-1 (ML-1) project, aimed at modernizing the Pakistan Railway system under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), is in its final negotiation stages.
This initiative will facilitate the upgrade and dualization of a 1,733 km railway track from Peshawar to Karachi.
A curtain-raiser event was organized at the Planning Ministry on Thursday to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of CPEC and the upcoming 12th Joint Cooperation Committee JCC.
Attendees included Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Secretary Planning Commission Syed Zafar Ali Shah, Chief Economist of Pakistan and Executive Director of CPEC, Dr. Nadeem Javaid, and Chinese Charge d’ Affairs to Pakistan, Pang Chunxue, among others.
CPEC is celebrating a significant milestone with a decade of notable accomplishments in promoting economic growth, infrastructure development, and regional connectivity.
The CPEC Secretariat, in collaboration with the Planning Ministry, is hosting numerous events as part of the 10-year celebration, including international conferences, academic sessions, cultural shows, and more across the country.
During the event, the planning minister emphasized the successful decade of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) & its flagship CPEC project. He said that China chose Pakistan for its flagship project, CPEC, when launching the transcontinental enterprise, BRI.
Over the decade, the two countries have fostered strong relationships in various fields, referring to each other as “iron brothers”.
Pang Chunxue underscored in her speech that the China-Pakistan relationship, with deep historical roots and strong public support, meets practical needs. She added that under President Xi Jinping’s robust leadership, China is staunchly progressing towards modernization.
As China achieves new milestones in modernization, it will offer new development opportunities for countries, including Pakistan, she pointed out.
As per the available data, the initial phase of CPEC development has already generated approximately 200,000 direct jobs for local individuals, including engineers. The ML-1 project, once finalized, will significantly modernize the Pakistan Railway system, with CPEC playing a crucial role in enhancing people-to-people connectivity.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, about 28,000 Pakistani students were studying various disciplines in China, illustrating a strong goodwill ambassador base.
The opportunity to study and train in China is significant for future researchers to gain firsthand knowledge of Chinese culture, business models, and practices. Furthermore, China is also extending a large number of scholarships and training programs