ISLAMABAD: The chairman of the Gwadar port, Dostain Jamaldini, said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was not just the name of a road or railway system but a mega project.

Speaking to Radio Pakistan, he said the CPEC would not only benefit Balochistan but also prove beneficial for the country’s three other provinces and other countries in the region.

Jamaldini claimed the CPEC would bring more prosperity to Balochistan. He said the government was giving top priority to the development of Balochistan and this project was one of them. He added that the Gwadar port was functional and after the CPEC was completed, Pakistan would have access to central Asian countries and Europe. Economist Dr Shahid Hassan Siddiqui said the CPEC would reduce unemployment in the country. He added that the functioning of Gwadar port will bring an economic revolution and business activities will get a much needed boost.

Analyst Dr Manzoor Khan Afridi said the CPEC was a very important project. He added that it would not only benefit Pakistan but other countries of the region as well. According to Dr Khan, trade statistics have been raised significantly which would ultimately benefit the economy.

He said it was expected that the trade volume would increase after the CPEC was completed. He added that due to this, Gwadar project would become an important seaport as it would be dealing with one-third of the region’s trade activities.

Also read: CPEC projects: status, cost and benefits

Dr Khan claimed that China and Pakistan were committed to taking the project to its maximum height. He said many countries like Afghanistan, Russia and Kazakhstan were also taking an interest to invest in the project for their mutual interests.

The CPEC and its strategic geographical position, he said, would help Pakistan emerge as trading hub. He added that Russia was interested in the project as it would provide them access to warm waters.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2015

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