Islamabad: The government has decided to continue development work on the ML-I mega project, which constitutes the upgradation and dualization of the railway track from Peshawar to Karachi, a news source reported. The announcement was made by Minister for Planning and Development Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, during the “Friends of Silk Road” seminar organised by the Pakistan-China Institute on Sunday.
Apart from this project, various other schemes are being completed under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the minister announced. The legal framework for the Gwadar Free Trade Zone has been completed, while a CPEC Authority and a Pakistan-China Business Council are being set up to regulate the projects. Bakhtiar added that soon enough, 80% of the electricity being used in Pakistan will have been generated by CPEC energy projects.
The Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing was also in attendance at the seminar, and announced that the governments of both countries had jointly identified three key areas to promote CPEC. These are 27 projects in the social sector, the Special Economic Zones with a special focus on Rashakai, and a special agricultural expo that will take place in October in Lahore and Islamabad.
