‘CPEC boosts Balochistan trade’

LAHORE: China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will bring enormous opportunities to Balochistan as the regional countries, especially Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, will use the corridor for exports and trade through Gwadar port, experts said on Wednesday.

President Pakistan China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) Moazzam Ghurki during a think tank meeting observed that that CPEC is a source of new avenues of opportunities for Baluchistan.

"Baluchistan with regards to its geographical location is pivotal for CPEC since Gwadar has a central position in the entire project. It is believed that the project will potentially contribute to the development of the whole province and is likely to address its interlinked economic and social problems," Ghurki said.

Fang Yulong, senior vice president PCJCCI said the minerals and fishery sectors of Balochistan have immense potential and the government is taking serious steps to utilise it for the benefit of the people of Pakistan.

He emphasized that Gwadar port and various projects under CPEC will change a lot for the people of Baluchistan and the government of Pakistan is especially focusing on road infrastructure, development of industrial and agriculture sector, provision of employment, and availability of basic facilities in Baluchistan.

Yulong further added that there is a dire need to include transport, construction of basic infrastructure, provision of clean drinking water and its better utilization, agriculture and livestock, information technology, energy, industry and commerce, manpower and education and other schemes for the revolutionary development in such neglected province of Pakistan.

Hamza Khalid, vice president PCJCCI said that the new government is seriously focusing on the social and economic uplift of Balochistan to bring it at par with other provinces of the country. Pakistan, Uzbekistan and China have agreed to allocate dedicated spaces in Gwadar and Tashkent for establishing warehouses to help each other in the transportation of goods to other countries in the region, he added.