ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday announced that the government was forming a ‘China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority (CPECA)’ to ensure timely completion of corridor’s projects.

Presiding over a meeting at the Prime Minister Office, PM Khan said: “To ensure uninterrupted progress on CPEC projects, CPEC Authority is being formed.”

He said the CEPCA would help ensure coordination among the departments concerned. “The completion of CPEC will not only benefit Pakistan and China, but also the entire region,” the prime minister said.

He said the timely completion of CPEC projects was the top-most priority of the government and CPEC was a clear example of joint efforts and partnership between Pakistan and China.

Earlier, Planning and Development Minister Khusro Bakhtiyar gave a detailed briefing to the prime minister on the CPEC-related projects.

The meeting was also attended by Communications Minister Murad Saeed, Energy Minister Umar Ayub, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, SAPM Nadeem Babar, the chairman of Board of Investment, secretaries of relevant ministries, chief secretaries of Punjab and Balochistan and additional secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The briefing was given on the projects related to infrastructure, energy, railways and information.

In the energy sector, the prime minister reviewed the Port Qasim coal-fired power plant, Gwadar power plant, Kohala hydro-power project, Hubco Thar coal power project and Thar coal power project.

The meeting reviewed progress on infrastructure-related projects, including Sukkar-Multan Motorway, Thakot-Havelian section, East Expressway, New Gwadar International Airport, ML-1 and D.I. Khan-Zhob road.

The prime minister was informed that Multan-Sukkar Motorway had been completed and it would soon be inaugurated by him. The prime minister approved digitalisation of Pakistan Television transmission.

The meeting also reviewed ML-1 projects aimed at improving Pakistan Rail­ways on modern lines.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2019