‘Pak-China economic corridor to bring prosperity’

Pakistan Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique has said that Pak-China Economic Corridor will bring a new era of economic prosperity in the region. In his welcome address at a reception organised in honour of a 13-member Chinese high level delegation led by Chinese Vice-Minister for Transport Lu DongFu at a local hotel on Wednesday, he said that Pak-China friendship was based on trust, consistent relations for the last six decades, and strategic partnership supported by the people of both countries. He said the current investment and cooperation in the railways would make it cost-affective which would not only facilitate the local passengers but also benefit the Chinese businessmen. The minister said that Chinese friends were wanted to cooperate in manufacturing and rehabilitation of new locomotives, signalling, and communication system, passenger and freight trains and other sections of the department.
He said in the first phase Main Line 1 (ML-1) and dry port at Havelian would be focused. However in the future, several more projects like ML-2, ML-3, and linkage of Gwadar with Khunjrab via rail network would be launched. The minister assured the Chinese dignitaries that they would find Pakistanis hard-working, sincere, and dedicated like the Chinese nation, and acknowledged the participation of everyone from the railways for cooperation in the improvement of the department.
As a public representative, he said Pakistani nation would never forget the great gesture of cooperation and trust by the Chinese nation and paid gratitude to the guests for their interest in the development of Pakistan. Chinese Vice-minister for Transport Lu DongFu, in his address, said Pakistan and China were all-weather friends and this friendship had a historical base of relationship.
“The current visit of the Chinese president followed by Pak-China friendship had opened a new chapter of cooperation and development between the two nations,” he added. He said the China Railways had completed study of several projects in Pakistan and the cooperation between the two nations would lay a good foundation of bright future of friendship. He expressed his joy over the hospitality of the people of the host country and said the welcome accorded to them would be remembered for years. He said there was a great potential in construction, design and manufacturing sectors in the country.
Recalling the history, the Chinese minister said Pakistan Railways and China Railways had a good relationship of cooperation and hoped that more cooperation would be made in future after the completion of current projects.