By Ambassador M. Alam Brohi

The development projects of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) have apparently been grounded to a halt or slowed down due mainly to China’s concerns about the security of its personnel working in Pakistan. With a string of terrorist attacks on Chinese workers within the past few years, the Chinese leaders have come to the end of their tether of endurance, showing no more confidence in the ability of the Pakistani government for any foolproof security of their workers. There are unconfirmed reports that they have linked the resumption of work on China-funded projects with forming a joint security force to protect their workers.

No doubt, Pakistan has been going through a bad law and order situation with an uptick in terrorist attacks. An Islamabad-based think tank reports Pakistan experienced 60 nationwide terrorist attacks in November last year, in which 169 lives were lost and over 200 citizens injured. Recently, there was a deadly attack on Chinese citizens near Karachi Airport. All these attacks have heightened concerns in Beijing over the safety of the Chinese personnel working on the CPEC projects, notwithstanding the significance of the CPEC to China, which is the flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The CPEC is one of the most ambitious Chinese initiatives in Pakistan. Its launch raised high hopes and was viewed as a game changer, an ambitious economic and trade project and a blazing message of prosperity in the three contiguous regions of South Asia, South West Asia and Central Asia. It promised to bring massive investments of some $60 billion to Pakistan to build communication and economic infrastructure, including power-generating stations, airports, roads, dams, and economic zones.

However, it was simultaneously viewed as a fissiparous project stirring local rivalries for a bigger piece of the cake in terms of economic projects and heightening regional and international hostilities over the roads and routes of the corridor passing through territories disputed by certain countries. It was also increasingly considered an extension of the new economic Great Game being played out in the resource-rich Central Asian region by the world powers, particularly over the oil and gas pipeline routes.

The ambitious plan of the Belt and Road Initiative launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013 at the heel of President Obama’s “Pivot to Asia” policy with an estimated cost of over $1 trillion aimed to interconnect over 60% of the global population of Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa for economic, trade and commercial transactions to sustain growth and development. The initiative comprises passenger and freight land routes linking China from its East Coast and the South China Sea with Mongolia, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Middle East, and European countries through the Eurasian Bridge planned beyond Central Asia. Similarly, China plans to lay a network of railways from its East coast connecting with the Southeast Asian countries of Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore.

The BRI also has a Seaport component. China has already undertaken to develop its ‘Pearl Maritime Silk Way’ from its East coast and the South Sea Islands to Djibouti, aiming at intercontinental connectivity linking South East Asia, South Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. These seaports included Gwadar in Pakistan, Chittagong in Bangladesh, Mayday Island in Myanmar, Colombo in Sri Lanka, Victoria in Seychelles and Djibouti in East Africa. The Pearl Maritime project would enable China to bypass the congested Strait of Malacca and circumvent potential choking points in the Indian Ocean and South China Sea through which about 80% of its annual outbound trade of over $5000 billion (first ten months of 2024) has been transiting.

The Pakistani leadership, engaged in Punjab-centric policies and political disputes, never elaborated on the CPEC’s economic and employment benefits for the estranged Baloch population.

This latticework of roads, railways and seaports connecting China with the vast continents, spurring its ongoing economic development, was bound to ring alarm bells within the rival capitals. This helps us understand the current USA-backed political and strategic convergences in the Pacific and Asian regions to counter the rise of China. Similarly, the CPEC stoked India’s deep-seated hostility towards Pakistan, impelling New Delhi to dispute the roads and routes passing through the Northern regions of Gilgit and Baltistan. It is heartening that China understood the sinister Indian game of sabotaging the CPEC. China gave two ships to Pakistan’s navy to protect cargo ships calling on or leaving the Gwadar Seaport. This raised many eyebrows at the regional and international level about the Seaport of Gwadar ultimately being a naval base for China.

These were the hopes, apprehensions and concerns that the BRI and CPEC unleashed at the regional and global level. The local apprehensions of the estranged Baloch population surrounding Gwadar, fueled by the regional countries to fail Gwadar Seaport as a hub of economic and commercial connectivity, were beside the international efforts to countervail the BRI. Thus, the CPEC signified enormous security challenges for Pakistani authorities. This was well understood. Pakistan raised a brigade exclusively for the security of the Chinese personnel no sooner than the CPEC was launched. The estranged Baloch leaders claimed the local people were carefully kept out of this enormous employment opportunity. The Balochistan Federal Constabulary was also strengthened to deal with the security threats.

Read – Pakistan: Four in One

Notwithstanding these security measures, the Chinese personnel unfortunately remained unsafe. The recent years witnessed an uptick in the terrorist attacks on the Chinese workers in Karachi and elsewhere. The BLA and the TTP have taken responsibility for these terrorist attacks. We know the districts surrounding Gwadar are infested with separatists who have been waging a war of attrition against Pakistani security forces since 2006. Karachi witnessed three deadly attacks on the Chinese Consulate, the Confucius Centre of the Karachi University and the Karachi Airport. A few years ago, Gwadar Intercontinental also came under terrorist attacks where some Chinese Engineers were reportedly staying. After every attack, the Chinese leaders recorded their protests quietly through diplomatic channels.

The bad law and order situation in the country owing to the ongoing insurgency in Balochistan, the religious militancy and bloody sectarian clashes in KPK has compelled China, this time around, to take an exceptionally strong position over the security of their workers stalling or slowing down work on the CPEC projects. It has suggested to Pakistan for a joint force to deal with the security menace to its workers. This was reportedly made clear to Pakistan at the highest level during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Beijing and the Chinese Premier’s tour to Pakistan just before the SCO Summit. This is unfortunate, reflects poorly on the government’s incompetence, and disrepute the country’s security forces.

China has been a friend of all seasons. It has emerged as the biggest creditor in Pakistan, with $29.5 billion in long- and short-term credits. The second phase of the CPEC, which includes economic zones, motorways, railway tracks, research agriculture communes and relocation of Chinese industry, would have boosted the country’s overall economic development. Moreover, the significance of CPEC for Pakistan lies in expanding the economic and commercial operations at the Gwadar Seaport and connectivity with the Central Asian States and the European continent through Xinjiang and the Eurasian Bridge. This would unleash Pakistan’s potential for trade, spurring social and economic development and employment opportunities.

Read: Small Provinces, Bigger Grievances

The Pakistani leadership, engaged in Punjab-centric policies and political disputes, never elaborated on the economic and employment benefits of the CPEC to the estranged Baloch population to counter the forceful narrative of the separatists. Instead, it underlined the capture of the precious resources of Baloch land by the powerful federal authorities in collaboration with foreign powers, quoting the example of Saindak, Reko Diq and Gwadar.

Notwithstanding the unsubstantiated status of the Chinese proposal, the joint security operations with China would revive regional and international concerns and give impetus to the earlier concerns that Gwadar Seaport would ultimately become a strategic naval facility for China in the Arabian Sea. This would put Pakistan under enormous pressure from the US-led Western world, signaling it as a vassal state of China. This would add a new weapon to the armory of the Baloch insurgents against the Federation. The neighboring Iran would also look askance at the joint security operations.

The CPEC will continue to be in limbo to the peril of massive economic and infrastructural development unless Pakistani leadership devises an effective strategy to the satisfaction of Chinese leaders to deal with the security menace to their workers. This is possible provided our political and military leadership disengages from the political controversies centered in Punjab and Balochistan, boldly resolving the root cause of the debilitating political polarization and creating an enabling atmosphere for a whole-of-nation approach to the security menace. We should reckon the Chinese leaders are also concerned about Pakistan’s decade-long political polarization and economic decline.

Disillusioned with Pakistan’s unstable security and political conditions, China could develop another corridor from Afghanistan. The suggested holistic approach will also need a thorough review of our Afghan policy to neutralize the Afghan support to Baloch separatists and TTP. We need political, diplomatic and strategic acumen and accommodation to overcome this challenge.

Read: Making Pakistan’s Federal System Work For Smaller Provinces

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The author is a former member of the Foreign Service of Pakistan and has served as Ambassador for seven years. This article has been shared by the author.

First published in South Asia Magazine (January 2025 issue)

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Karachi, Sindh

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has once again taken up Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) Project and directed the Board of Revenue (BOR) to resolve all its land issues so that a joint working group with Chinese authorities and the federal government could be constituted for further action.

This emerged in a meeting held here at CM House on Thursday. The meeting was attended by Minister of Information & Transport Sharjeel Memon, Advisor Law Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi, SMBR Baqaullah Unar, Secretary Transport Saleem Rajput, and others.

Minister Transport Sharjeel Memon briefing the Chief Minister said that the project was put on the back burner during the tenure of the PTI government. Otherwise, the project was most important to resolve the transport problem of the city.

Chairman P&D told the chief minister that the federal government, with the efforts of the chief minister, has sent the feasibility of the KCR to Chinese authorities through the Ministry of Planning & Commission of Pakistan.

Railway authorities wanted to have an alternate land

Sharjeel Memon said that for inclusion of KCR in CPEC and handing over of KCR Right of Way (RoW) to the Government of Sindh, the Chairman/ Secretary of Railways constituted a four-member committee of Railway Officers to finalize the modalities regarding handing over of Pakistan Railway/ KCR land to the provincial government. The highlights of the TORs of the Committee include negotiation of equal value of alternate and proposed land and future use of land.

Minister Transport said that there was an issue of around 40 acres of land for which Railway authorities wanted to have an alternate land. At this, the chief minister directed SMBR Baqaullah Unar to work out details of the land the Railway Authorities wanted to retain or its alternate and report to him.

Minister Transport told the CM that as per the approved plan, the KCR has a 43.2 km route, including 25.51 km elevated and 17.7 km at grade. He added that it would have 24 stations of which 13 elevated and 11 at grade.

Sharjeel said that the KCR would have a dual track, with 162 train sets.

The CM directed the. chief secretary to complete all the documentation of the KCR and talk to the minister of the Planning Commission to approach the Chinese authorities to constitute a joint working group so that it could be launched. (PR)

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Sindh Chief Minister suggested the premier any initiative like Sindh govt. that is paying power bills of people of Islamkot

By Rehan Khan Khushik

Islamkot, Tharparkar, Sindh

Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif, who launched two major projects in Sindh province, the COD of Thar Coal Block-I, integrated coal mine & power generation project and the COD of ThalNova 330 MW power generation at Block-II on Wednesday, flew back to Islamabad without announcing any development package or any concessions to the people of Thar that is contributing electricity to the national grid and employment to the people of all the provinces.

Besides supplying electricity generated by coal-fired power plants, these projects are providing employment to thousands of the people from across the country.

During the project launching ceremony, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had told the Prime Minister that Sindh government is paying electricity bills of the people of Islamkot and had suggested him similar initiative.

Addressing the ceremony, PPP Chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto also said that the slogan ‘Thar badlega Pakistan’ (Thar will change Pakistan) has proved to be true and now Thar has started changing Pakistan by generating and providing cheapest electricity.

Bhutto said that during his visit to power plant he met with the employees who have come here from every nook and corner of all the four provinces. “In the past, people of Thar used to go to other cities of the province and the country and now people from other provinces and cities and even from China come here [Thar] for availing employment and business opportunities,” he said.

He said that those who were propagating against Thar coal failed and the commitment of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and her party succeeded. He added that 2640 MW electricity is being produced from Thar Coal.

Bilawal said that when Federal and provincial governments work together such important project of national importance emerge.

Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif in his address said that these projects were a testament to the strong and enduring partnership between China and Pakistan under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Prime Minister gave a deadline of April 2023 to Water & Power Ministry to complete ongoing work on Transmission line so that power generated from Thar could be linked to the national grid.

The PM thanked the Government of China, the companies involved, Sindh CM Syed Murad Ali Shah for his unflinching support to Thar Coal Mining and power generation and all those who contributed to the successful completion of these projects. “We are proud of this achievement and remain committed to working together with China to make CPEC a success,” he said.

Sindh Chief Minister speaking on the occasion said that Shaheed Mohterma Benazir Bhutto during her tenure as prime minister had made 40 agreements for launching coal mining and power generation from Thar. “Had her agreement’s agreement been honored Thar would have been producing more than 40,000 MW electricity today,” he said.

Shah told the PM that people of Thar were providing cheapest electricity to the country and in return they must be provided free of cost electricity. “The provincial is paying power bills of people of Islamkot and similar initiative may be taken by the federal government,” he demanded.

The COD of Thar Coal Block-I marks a major milestone in the development of the Thar Coalfield, which is one of the largest coal reserves in the world.

The integrated coal mining and power generation project by Shanghai Electric is a flagship project of CPEC, which will help Pakistan to meet its energy demands and reduce its dependence on imported fuel. The project has been completed with the highest standards of safety, quality, and environmental protection, and it will create jobs and boost economic growth in the region.

The integrated project is led and invested by M/s Shanghai Electric, includes 2x 660 MW power generating units, supported by an annual output of 7.8 million tons of lignite open-pit coal mine. It is a key project among the “China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)” energy cooperation projects.

After achieving CoD the project is capable of meeting the electricity demands of 4 million households in Pakistan, bringing social and economic significance by reducing fuel imports, saving foreign exchange reserves and enhancing national energy security of Pakistan.

The total investment amount of the integrated project is up to 3 billion US Dollar. The project started site construction since 2019. Although the project delayed to achieve its financing closure even till now, Shanghai Electric support the construction with his own fund continuously in the past years.

An official handout of Sindh government said that the development of Thar Block-1 Integrated Project has created more than 12,000 direct employment opportunities for the locals, with a cumulative tax payment of $135 million and CSR expenditure of over $1.63 million. Moreover, Shanghai Electric has timely contributed to the flood affectees in Sindh province in the mode of living and medical supplies of amount Rs8.88 million against the flood.

Similarly, the COD of ThalNova 330 MW power generation at Block-II is a remarkable achievement in the energy sector of Pakistan, completed at cost of $527 million. The project is another great example of China-Pakistan cooperation under CPEC and will play a significant role in addressing Pakistan’s energy deficit. The project has been completed with the latest technology and in compliance with international standards, which will help to mitigate environmental concerns.

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Islamabad

Pakistan’s Board of Investment (BoI) says that a group led by Anvwar Asian Investments (AAI) of Oman is ready to invest $US 2.3bn in the project to build a new 1087km railway between Jacobabad and Gwadar, a port in Balochistan province that is 70km from the border with Iran.

BOI federal minister, Chaudhary Salik Hussain, recently met with a delegation led by AAI chairman, Dr. Anvwar Al Balushi. The meeting was also attended by Railway Constructions Pakistan (Railcop) CEO, Syed Najam Saeed, and Tauseef Zaman, CEO of BIL Pakistan.

According to BOI, AAI is ready to provide an immediate tranche of $US 500m for the Jacobabad – Gwadar railway, as well as financing and loans for other railway projects in Pakistan.

During a previous visit to Pakistan in January 2022, Al Balushi signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Railcop and BIL Pakistan.

A feasibility study later prepared by Railcop found that Pakistan’s existing railway infrastructure would be unable to accommodate the increase in traffic forecast when projects are completed under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) program, part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

CPEC aims to provide a rail connection between Gwadar and Xinjiang province in China.

An earlier report of state-run news agency APP said that Federal Minister for BOI Chaudhary Salik Hussain assured the Omani investors’ delegation on August 2, for full support and complete cooperation.

Minister said that he would facilitate and expedite the process of investing in Pakistan by the Omani Company, APP quoted a press release issued here.

Chaudhary Salik Hussain welcomed Omani delegation led by Dr. Anwar Al Balushi Chairman, Al Anvwar Asian Investments, Syed Najam Saeed, CEO RAILCOP and Tauseef Zaman, CEO Bil Pakistan at his office.

Chairman, Al Anvwar Asian Investments, Dr. Anwar Al Balushi briefed the minister that he was interested in Railway Infrastructure Development projects and power projects in Pakistan.

He identified the construction of rail link from Gwadar to Jacobabad (track length 1,087 Km) and as a first tranche of financing, his company was ready to transfer $500 million to Pakistan for this rail link project. Moreover, he said that he could offer financing/loans for undertaking other projects also. He said that he would work together to improve bilateral relations and strengthen economic ties between the two countries.

Both delegates agreed to enhance bilateral relations through mutually beneficial development projects.

This is ambitious plan of connecting Pakistan’s railway network from China and Afghanistan to Gwadar deep sea port under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which has been declared strategically important by both the countries.

It may be recalled that in October 2016, China had approved USD5 billion for this project. The project is also mentioned in ADB documents, as it had pledged to provide USD 2.5 billion. .

Earlier APP reports of January 2018 suggested that the Ministry of Railways was soon to submit PC-1 for linking new railway tracks after completion of feasibility report on various routes of Pakistan Railways.

The new tracks link Gwadar to Mastung via Basdima (906 kilometres) and Basima to Jacobabad through Khuzdar (300km), a long term project envisaged for 2025-30.

The officials of Ministry of Railways had said a feasibility study of both routes is being conducted. “The study is at advanced stages and upon completion of the feasibility study, PC-I will be prepared for approval from the competent forum,” they added.

Various land parcels required for the implementation of the said project have been identified under the aforesaid feasibility study, they said.

Regarding acquisition of land from Gwadar to Mastung via Basima and from Basima to Jacobabad via Khuzdar, they said a PC-I amounting tentatively Rs.5.000 million is being submitted for approval by the Planning Commission and Rs.400 million had also been allocated by the Planning Commission during the financial year 2017-18 for the project’s activities.

They said that the existing railway line from Rohri to Kohi-Taftan via Quetta, including the realignment of Sibi-Spezand section (1,022km) and rail link from Quetta to Kotla Jam (538km) is also being upgraded. The line is called ML-III, which will be used for exploitation of full capacity of the Gwadar Port and anticipated traffic from China after establishment of China-Pak Economic Corridor, they added.

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Source: Rail Journal, CPEC Info, Press Reader and other websites

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The project was put on back burner by the PTI regime. Its execution was expected in 2020 but the MoU was signed in Dec. 2021 with no progress.

Sindh Courier   

Karachi

The work on a railway project aimed at linking the Thar Coalfield with the rest of country for transporting the Thar coal to other coal-fired power plants, is expected to start shortly.

“The proposed project envisages laying of a 105km long railway line to connect Thar Coalfield and the national railway track at Chhor,” Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh said here in a statement on Sunday.

He said the proposed project was thoroughly discussed in a meeting with the Chairman of Pakistan Railway Board and the senior officials Federal Ministry of Railway in Islamabad on Saturday. “We discussed all other aspects of the project.”

Imtiaz Shaikh said that hopefully the work on the project would start shortly. “The project would be completed in 14 months after start of the work,” he added.

Minister further stated that linking the Thar coalfield with the national railway track at Chhor would leave a healthy impact on the national economy as well as the economy of coal-fired power plants as huge foreign exchange could be saved currently being spent on import of the coal.

Imtiaz Shaikh said that Thar coalfield is capable to meet the requirement of coal-fired power plants of country.

Secretary of the Energy Department and other officials also attended the meeting held in Islamabad.

It may be mentioned here that the years-old proposed project was put on back burner during the previous PTI regime. The project was also discussed in a meeting between Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Chairman CPEC Authority retired Gen. Asim Bajwa on February 22, 2020 in Karachi. And on December 21, 2021 a Memorandum of Understanding was also signed by Pakistan Railways and some companies – Railway Constructions Pakistan Limited (RAILCOP), M/s Al Furqan Holdings Private Ltd, and BIL Pakistan Pvt. Ltd for execution of plan of laying a new 105 km rail track connecting Thar Coal Block II with new Chhor station on the Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas rail link.

The project cost at that time was estimated at 170 million euro, which may have escalated manifold due to unprecedented inflation and devaluation of Pakistan currency. The project was to be executed under 100 percent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) by Al Furqan Group UAE, CEO RAILCOP, as was told by Syed Najam Saeed while addressing the MoU signing ceremony in Islamabad in December last.

He had said that all the relevant authorities and stakeholders were preferring and urging to adopt rail as a primary mode of transportation for Thar coal as compared to highway mode, as this new rail link would be helpful in the coal-driven energy projects executed under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

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Karachi

Sindh government and Chinese security authorities have agreed to work together to evolve a fool-proof security mechanism for Chinese working in the province in CPEC and non-CPEC projects.

This emerged in a meeting held between Sindh Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput and Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ External Security Commissioner Mr. Cheng Gouping along with their respective teams. The chief secretary was assisted by Acting IG Kamran Afzal, Home Secretary Saeed Mangnijo, Additional IG Karachi Ghulam Nabi Memon, Additional IG Special Branch Javed Odho, Additional IG CTD Imran Yakoob Minhas, Rangers Colonel Nasrum Minullah, Special Secretary to CM Rahim Shaikh and others. The Chinese delegation members include Defence Attache Mr. Yang Yang, Deputy DG CTD State Security of China Mr. Zhou Shanwu, Counselor Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Wang Daxue, and Deputy DG International Cooperation (Public Security) Mr. Li Yuhong, Director Administration Chinese Embassy Mr. Sun Mingji, Deputy Director Asian Affairs Mr. Wei Guo and others.

The meeting, in the backdrop of the Karachi University incidents, agreed to work out a comprehensive plan to provide security to the Chinese nationals working in non-CPEC projects, on the pattern of CPEC-related projects security system.

The meeting was told that Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has already directed provincial police to conduct a security audit of the institutions/organization where Chinese are working under private arrangements. The provincial home department is collecting the data of all the Chinese working in the province so that they could be brought under the security cover. For the purpose, the visiting delegation was also urged to help the provincial government to develop a comprehensive data base, for which the delegation assured their full support. The chief secretary, on behalf of the Sindh Chief Minister, offered the Chinese delegation that their proposals, if any, for the fool proof security of Chinese nationals working in Sindh would also be incorporated in the new security plan being worked out on national and provincial levels. The chief secretary told the visiting delegation that the federal government has convened a meeting of all the provincial governments in Islamabad to discuss security of all the Chinese working in different province of the country next week.

The Chinese delegation was also briefed on the progress made so far into the Karachi University incident. The delegation was told that the day-to-day progress into the investigation of the case was being shared with the focal person, the Chinese authorities have nominated. The Chinese delegation offered to strengthen provincial police by providing them important equipment and gadgets used for investigation and other policing purposes. (PR)

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Sindh Courier

Karachi

The government has planned to build a new bridge on Indus River between Hyderabad and Jamshoro as part of Hyderabad-Sukkur M-6 Motorway.

This transpired during a meeting held with Chief Secretary Sindh Dr. Muhammad Sohail Rajput in the chair at Sindh Secretariat on Tuesday. The meeting was briefed about Hyderabad-Sukkur M-6 Motorway.

The meeting was attended by Secretary General Administration Muhammad Hanif Channa, Secretary Implementation and Coordination Riaz Hussain Soomro while Commissioner Hyderabad, Commissioner Shaheed Benazirabad and Commissioner Sukkur along with concerned Deputy Commissioners have attended the meeting through video link.

Presiding over the meeting, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput said that a 306 km Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway would be constructed under CPEC and this 6 lane M-6 Motorway will pass through Jamshoro, Hyderabad, Matiari, Shaheed Benazirabad, Naushehro Feroze, Khairpur and Sukkur districts. He added that a bridge would also be built on the M-6 motorway on the Indus River between Jamshoro and Hyderabad.

Chief Secretary said that M-6 is a very important project and the federal and provincial governments are focusing on its timely completion.

During the meeting, officials of Irrigation Department said that a hydraulic study was being carried out for the bridge over the Indus River and the National Highway Authority would be informed once the study is completed.

Chief Secretary directed all the concerned Deputy Commissioners to complete the acquisition of land for M-6 Motorway by July this year.

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From Our Correspondent

Khairpur

Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University of Technology and Skills Development Khairpur and National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) Sindh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Saturday to introduce various industrial training and technical courses at the university.

Acting Vice Chancellor of the University Prof. Dr. Noor Ahmed Sheikh and Director General NAVTTC, Sindh Nabila Omar signed the MoU, under which various industrial training and technical courses in Advance Python Programming and Application, Certificate in IT (CIT), Networking and Cloud Computing Technologies, Hospitality, Welding and other courses will be launched.

Speaking on the occasion Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr. Noor Ahmed Shaikh said that the purpose of this MoU was to make the students even more proficient and professional in the industrial sector.

He said that The MS and M.Phil., PHD scholars are educating the students and more than a thousand students including girls are studying in different fields at the University.

Director General NAVTTC, Sindh Nabila Omar said that NAVTTC has planned to initiate technical and vocational training for semi or unskilled local youth to meet the requirement of jobs for upcoming projects under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The CPEC will attract more than 1.2 million direct jobs in various projects during next 10 years, and a large number of skilled workers are needed in the country to be prepared to tap the potential in this regard.

The mega project has already provided employment to around 75000 people during previous five years, but a large portion of them comprised of raw labor leaving space for the skilled workers to seize the employment opportunities.

Farewell Party for retired Education Officers

The education officers of District Khairpur hosted a farewell party on Saturday at Faiz-e- Mustafa Hall Government Naz Pilot Secondary School Khairpur, for the two retired Directors of School Education -Syed Rasool Bakhash Shah Director Elementary, Secondary and Higher Secondary Hyderabad and Ghulam Asghar Memon, Director Directorate of Curriculum Assessment and Research Sindh.

Educationists Hameedullah Mahar, Liaquat Hussain Khaskheli, Firdous Phulpoto, Faiz Jiskani and others in their addresses said that both retired officials had dedicated their precious years in the promotion of quality education.

They said that both officials did not compromise over a quality of education and administrative commitment. They managed the issues of the teachers as well as teachers’ unions.

Syed Rasool Bakhash Shah and Ghulam Asghar Memon in their speeches urged the teachers and serving officers of education department to promote the education by sustaining the pressures as the quality of a good officer is to manage the problems.

They said that administrative posts, no doubt are challenging Jobs, but good officer handles all issues with determination and commitment. They said that they saw ups and downs, but remained constant and upright to face the issues instead of surrendering.

They said that devotion and dedication are the tools of success. “Dissemination of Knowledge and ideas in the community level can bring the change in the education,” they viewed.

Both retired officers were honored with Ajrak, Cap and other gifts. Number of teachers and officers attended the program.

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Karachi

Chinese Consul General in Karachi Li Bijian has said that the first phase of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which has almost been completed and now with all seriousness both the governments were on execution of second phase of CPEC.

Speaking at an interactive session with a group of journalists at the Consulate, he said, “The first phase focused on development and upgradation of infrastructure, and setting up energy generating projects including those of renewable energy. The second phase shall mainly focus on agriculture, manufacture and other areas.”

“Joint Working Committees on CPEC have been pursuing these projects spread in many different areas of Pakistan,” he said and added that all the projects under CPEC have been progressing well however COVID-19 pandemic had slowed down the process.

Chinese envoy said that in Sindh, under CPEC, his country is major partner in Dhabeji Special Economic Zone, Korangi Industrial Park, Coastal Development projects, Thar coal mine development, infrastructure development projects, and renewable energy in the province.

“Chinese companies had also partnered Sindh Government in upgrading transport system in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta and Sukkur. The companies would soon provide 150 buses to Sindh Government under this move. Chinese companies were engaged in manufacturing sector as well including in assembling of mobile phones and motorcycles, also in joint ventures,” he said.

To another question, Li Bijian said Coronavirus affected China’s economy, and tourism was the most affected sector due to lock-down. Now, with strict compliance of SOPs and implementing the dynamic zero COVID policy, domestic tourism is open.

About Omicron, new COVID-19 variant, he said that so far a few imported cases were reported in his country, adding that experts researched much about this variant, and he is confident that China shall deal with the new variant in an orderly and decisive way. China had adopted 4-Es strategy to contain spread of the virus: early detection, early reporting, early quarantine and early treatment, which turns out to be very efficient to put the pandemic under control.

In China, more than 84 percent population was vaccinated and an aggressive campaign continued to vaccinate the remaining 16 percentage population. Booster doses have been also being given from June 2021 to reduce the possible effect of mutated variant. While trying every means to control the pandemic domestically, China has also been carrying out international cooperation in this regard, has so far provided more than 1.8 billion doses of vaccines to other countries, he said. China has been striving to build a community of health for mankind, he said.

Referring to the policies of his government, he said Communist Party of China has been implementing the policy of putting people first and focused on the improvement of peoples’ livelihood and sustained economic growth. China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and eradicated the absolute poverty which had been with the Chinese nation in a few thousand years. Chinese had a very clean and honest government enjoying support of more than 95 percent population.

CPC has been delivering to the people and even on country side, the farmers has been enjoying an ever-changing and prosperous livelihood. There are the best roads and other communication network in the county side. (PR)

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Karachi: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has urged the federal government to construct a 105-kilometer railway line from Thar Coalfield, Islamkot to Chhor for upcountry transportation of the coal.

This he said while talking to Khalid Mansoor, the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on CPEC affairs here at CM House on Monday. The meeting was attended by Minister Energy Imtiaz Shaikh, Special Assistant to CM on Investment Qasim Naveed, Secretary Investment Zahid Abbasi and Secretary Energy Tariq Shah.

Shah said that Thar coal was a great national treasure, and it should be used in all the coal-fired power and other projects being developed in different parts of the country.

The CM said that through a private firm a feasibility study of construction of 105 km railway line from Islamkot to Chhor has been conducted. He added that the study has revealed that the railway line would cost $160 million and the cost of rolling stock to cost $127 million.

The chief minister suggested that the 105-km railway line should be executed through federal PSDP so that infrastructure may not cause impact on power tariff. He pointed out that Pakistan railways authorities have prepared Rs.130 billion PC-1 of the project which was pending in the federal government for approval. He urged the CPEC chief to get it approved by the center so that important projects could be started.

Shah further said that apart from construction of 105-km railway line from Islamakot to Chhor the existing railways network onward from Chhor to Mirpurkhas, Hyderabad and upto Port Qasim may be rehabilitated for coal transportation.

PM Special Assistant on CPEC assured the Chief Minister that he would take his personal efforts to get the project approved and started.

Another project which came under discussion was Thar Coalfield Block-VI. Murad Ali Shah said that M/s Oracle Powers was working on an integrated project of coal mine, power plant and coal to gas and liquid facility. He urged the federal government to frame a policy for coal to Liquid (CTL), Coal to Gas (CTG) and Coal to Urea (CTU) so that LoI could be issued in favor of M/s Oracle power enabling it to take off.

The Chief Minister convened another meeting on the project on Saturday in which more discussions would be made including on the Special Economic Zone, Dhabeji.

CM meets DG narcotics

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in another meeting with Director General Anti-Narcotic Force (ANF) Major General Ghulam Shabir Narejo said that he has already issued a directive to the provincial police to launch a targeted operation against the drug mafia.

He said that the drug peddlers and pusher and their suppliers were not only destroying future of new generations but creating law and order in the province, particularly in the city of Karachi.

He urged the director general ANF to support the provincial police and help rehabilitation of the addicts.

The DG assured the chief minister that his force would support the provincial police to eliminate the drug mafia and their chain. (PR)

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The post Fed govt. urged to build 105km railway line from Islamkot to Chhor first appeared on Sindh Courier.