BEIJING: Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar on Wednesday invited top officials of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and Chinese corporate leaders to build a long-term partnership with Pakistan and finance projects that contribute to overall economic development of the country.

The minister extended the invitation at a meeting with the president of AIIB Jin Ligun and leaders of Chinese companies including China Railway Construction Corporation, Huawei, Norinco and others on the sideline of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridors (CPEC) 8th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting, scheduled to be held on Friday here.

Mr Bakhtyar will co-chair the JCC meeting with Vice Chairman of National Reform Commission of China.

In a meeting at the AIIB Headquarters, Mr Bakhtyar said that Pakistan had received solid investment in energy generation portfolio, but now the country was encouraging projects based on hydel or renewable resources.

He said that AIIB could explore opportunities for partnership in Dasu and Mohmand Dam projects which were in the planning stages.

“We are introducing integrated energy policy and looking forward for investment in transmission line projects and upgradation of the distribution system,” the minister said, adding that the Pakistan government also promoted the implementation of economically viable projects in infrastructure, capacity enhancement of ports and shipping, sustainable mass transit system and development of small rural and urban centres.

The President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Jin Ligun, told the minister that $1.68 billion projects in different sectors were being financed by his bank in Pakistan.

He pledged support for transmission line, hydropower generation and other projects that could boost Pakistan’s economic growth.

He said that a project to support small and medium-sized enterprises [SMEs] had already been approved and this investment would be enhanced with the passage of time.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2018