ISLAMABAD: The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) promises enticing future prospects for Balochistan province.
The CPEC projects include infrastructure and energy ones along with immense economic opportunities. The completion of these projects will bring socio-economic development in the province, WealthPK reported.
According to Adnan Khan, a socio-economic development specialist at the CPEC Authority, the CPEC has an economic, commercial, and geographical impact on Balochistan.
“CPEC is implementing a number of road and transportation, energy, education and training, industrial, and other socio-economic projects.
At Gwadar, there are two important energy projects: a 320MW China Hub Coal Power Project, and a 300MW Coal-Fired Power Project,” he said.
Similarly, in infrastructure projects, the 19km (4-lane) East Bay Expressway Gwadar is nearing completion.
“The goal of the Eastbay Expressway is to connect the port and its free zone to the national highway network for efficient logistical movement of import, export, and transit commodities. Moreover, with the Basima-Khuzdar Road (N-30), which is under construction, the access of Punjab towards Gwadar Port will become easier,” said the official.
All the routes on the western alignment run through rural areas where poverty is higher, employment opportunities are limited, and industrial expansion and infrastructure are weak. Therefore, the completion of these projects will bring a revolution to the region, reports WealthPK.
The CPEC official said that Quetta, Gwadar, Khuzdar, Uthal, Hub, and Dera Murad Jamali are among the cities in Balochistan where industrial zones are being proposed.
“Gwadar will serve as a conduit and destination for fresh investment, transforming Pakistan into a regional commerce, transportation, and economic hub. The Bostan Industrial Zone, in particular, is a 1000-acre industrial zone in Pishin district. In 2020, the Bostan SEZ was officially approved by the SEZ Approval Committee.
Now, the development work on Phase-I (200 acres) has been completed and launched for allotment of industrial plots,” he said.
The official said that fruit processing, agriculture machinery, pharmaceutical, motor bike assembly, chromite, ceramic industries, ice and cold storage, electric appliances, and halal food industry units will be established in the industrial zone.
Adnan Khan said that Gwadar Port and Balochistan are at the nerve centre of this development.
“Gwadar’s new masterplan will make the port a game changer not just for Pakistan, but for the whole region, allowing landlocked Central Asian countries to access Gwadar’s warm seas,” he said.
The official said Gwadar will soon be transformed into an economic hub after the completion of several projects under the CPEC.
“All-Afghan transit commerce has already been relocated to Gwadar, and operations have begun. As a result, two Central Asian diplomats have already visited Gwadar Port. They got a briefing on the present infrastructure and were convinced that we are capable to handle their transportation business.
So, in at least two Central Asian countries, all of this is well advanced, and they have already requested that the provincial government give them road access so that they may open offices in Gwadar,” said the official.
The completion of these projects will transform the socio-economic landscape of Balochistan by bringing it on a par with other prosperous provinces of Pakistan.
INP
