Pakistan, China formulate corridor projects

Islamabad, July 12 (IANS) Pakistan Prime Nawaz Sharif has reviewed the progress on the Pakistan-China Economic Corridor (PCEC) projects and has called for their timely completion.

At a meeting Friday, Sharif was informed that Pakistan and China had formulated a 'timeline matrix' for each project to be completed under the PCEC, Dawn online reported.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal briefed Sharif after their return from China where they had discussed implementation of corridor projects with Chinese authorities.

Shahbaz Sharif said that Chinese collaboration in development projects was a catalyst in expediting the process of development in the country.

Iqbal said that efforts would be made to complete the projects within a span of three years.

The projects include 660MW Port Qasim power plant, 1260MW coal-fired power plant in Sahiwal, 250MW wind power project in Gharo and 660MW coal-fired project in Thar.

"These projects will end loadshedding and bring emergence of new industries. China is an earnest trading partner of Pakistan and her cooperation would yield economic benefits in the country," Sharif said.