CPEC to open new opportunities for region: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed hope that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will open new vistas of opportunities for the entire region. He has said that the project will not only help in translating all-weather Pak-China relations into mutually beneficial economic equation but will also open new vistas of opportunities for the entire region.

The Prime Minister was meeting with representatives of 15 leading Chinese companies working on various CPEC and other projects in Pakistan. He said that the government accords top priority to the CPEC Project.

The Chinese delegation included representatives from Power China, Three Gorges Corporation, CMEC Neelum Jhelum Power Plant Project, Cr-Norinco Orange Line Project, Huawei, Zong, Port Qasim Power Plant, China Gezhouba Corporation, China State Construction, China Harbour, Matiari-Lahore Transmission Line Project, Haier and other companies.

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing accompanied the delegation. Omar Ayub Khan, Minister for Power, Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, and Minister for Planning, Haroon Sharif, Chairman BOI, Nadeem Babar, Chairman Energy Task Force and other senior officials were also present.

Addressing the Chinese delegation, the Prime Minister said that the government will provide all possible facilitation to the Chinese companies in undertaking profitable business ventures and taking advantage of business friendly policies of the present government.

Chinese Ambassador while conveying greetings from Chinese President and Prime Minister said that Chinese leadership is looking forward to the visit of Prime Minister to China.

He thanked the Prime Minister on behalf of Chinese leadership and business community for his personal interest in facilitating Chinese businessmen and addressing their issues. He assured the Prime Minister that Chinese companies will continue to partner with the government in socio-economic development of Pakistan.

In the meanwhile, Prime Minister Khan, during a briefing, was informed that eleven Integrated Tourism Zones would be established in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and replicating this model 08 zones would also be set up in Punjab.

These Integrated Tourism Zones will not only serve to showcase tourist potential of the country and promote tourism but will also ensure preservation of natural beauty, biodiversity, forests cover and promotion of eco-tourism at the newly established tourist resorts.

The meeting was attended by Ch. Fawad Hussain, Minister for Information, Sayed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari (Zulfi Bukhari), SAPM on Overseas Pakistanis, Haroon Sharif, Chairman Board of Investment, Yasir Humayun, Minister Tourism Punjab, Atif Khan, Minister Tourism Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Shahram Khan Taraki, Minister for Local Government KP, Minister for Law & Parliamentary Affairs KP, Sultan Muhammad Khan,

Rashid Mehmood Langrial, Secretary Tourism Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and senior officers. The Prime Minister was apprised about new initiatives being taken to promote tourism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.

A detailed briefing was also made about the draft Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Act 2019. Senior Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Atif Khan shared salient features of the draft legislation on Tourism and informed the meeting that under the ambit of this upcoming law exclusive jurisdiction would be clearly chalked out to avoid coordination problems and to overcome low performance capacity of organizations. It was further informed that Private Sector will play a leading role in development of Tourism while the Government will provide an enabling environment and act as a facilitator.

The Integrated Tourism Zones will include Gabeen Jabba, Swat, (elevation 9,200 ft), Mankyal, Swat (8,700 ft), Bayon, Swat (11,000 ft), Bir Mughlasht, Chitral (9,000 ft), Golain, Chitral (10,400), Qaqlasht, Chitral (7,500 ft), Burwai, Naran (10,000 ft) and Mahaban, Buner (6,600 ft). Prime Minister was briefed that internationally successful models are being followed for promoting Tourism in the country. Yasir Humayun, Minister Tourism Punjab apprised that eight Integrated Tourism Zones would be established in Punjab.

Prime Minister Imran Khan said that with the development of tourist resorts and provision of required facilities, the tourism sector will receive tremendous boost. He directed that a comprehensive website be launched immediately identifying all tourist zones being set up with detailed information for local as well as foreign tourists.