Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will travel to China in the First week of June for official launching of second phase of the USD 60 Billion CPEC (China – Pakistan Economic Corridor) according to Dawn newspaper based in Pakistan.

The Prime Minister Office official press release that the Sharif will be scheduled to leave for China on June 4, but the date of the visit may slightly be changed.

 

CPEC which has been in operation for both China and Pakistan where China has been investing heavily in Pakistan in the infrastructural projects which connect Pakistan’s Gwadar Port of Baluchistan Province of Pakistan to the Xingjian Province of China. This project envisaged to be passed from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (POK). Whereas India is being laid a strong objection of these projects and also raise this in international level as it is disputed territory between India and Pakistan.

 

In the CPEC the first phase infrastructure and energy projects were the part which started from the Baluchistan Province of Pakistan, where huge opposition being faced by the authority by the locals of Baluchistan as it exploited natural resources of that region and many casualties happened during the projects. In the second phase of CPEC both countries assumed to focus on agriculture, Main line-I of Pakistan Railways, business men to businessmen deals and the most important Karakoram Highway (KKH) etc.

 

On Friday PM Sharif said that Pakistan wanted to benefit from Chinese experiences to promote industries in Pakistan especially IT, road connectivity, Railways and also wanted to boost exports to other countries as Pakistan’s financial condition is being deteriorated day by day. As the prices of daily need goods touching the sky and the government is not able to control the commodities prices.

He also assured Chinese companies that the security and the protection of Chinese people especially who work in sensitive areas was his priority and his government is committed for it. So many Chinese personnel in thousands numbers are being working in Pakistan on many projects under the ageis of the CPEC. But some have been attacked in recent years by locals and also attached by separatist (designated terrorist by the government) who accuse the government and China of exploiting mineral resources and render them homeless and push towards the poverty and joblessness.

Pakistan being very optimistic over the CPEC as the public taking lost in interest as well as the Chinese firms repeatedly raises concern over safety issue and showing lack of interests in the project as taking back their funds.

 

Other than all odds the Chinese ambassador to Pakistan “Jiang Zaidong” appreciated Pakistan’s efforts to implement the CPEC, and also very keen to see the development of CPEC Phase II.

He also emphases that in this current situation Pakistan’s need to boost the efficiency of SEZs (Specialized Economic Zone) and also urge officials to visit Chinese industrial parks to get single hand experience over there and have assume the efficiency measures which are practiced by Chinese authorities.