CPEC authority chairman Lt. General retd. Asim Saleem Bajwa shares video message
July 5, 2021: According to a video message by of Chairman CPEC Authority Asim Saleem Bajwa, a historic program is going to be held in Gwadar today when the Prime Minister is scheduled to visit.
Chairman Pak-China Economic Corridor Authority Lieutenant General (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa has said that Gwadar port is fully operational and now the focus is on increasing port traffic. On May 2021 in Gawadar, Chairman CPEC Authority told the media that the first phase of Gwadar Free Zone covering 60 acres has been completed. He said that 6 out of 12 factories have been completed while 3 are operational.
The Chairman CPEC Authority said that Free Zone and Port have created 1,200 jobs in the last two and a half years. With the current structure in place, about 12,000 jobs are expected, he said. Lieutenant General (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa said that the second phase of Gwadar Free Zone covers 2,021 acres.
He said that it was being prepared at present and would be inaugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan in October this year. Chairman CPEC Authority said that preparations for Phase 2 are in full swing. He said that today China Port Holding has lined up an investor who needs 1600 acres of land. Asim Saleem Bajwa said that the investor has hinted at an investment of $3 billion. He said that according to the investor, the 1600-acre factory will have 30,000 job opportunities with several plans to uplift the city to be built along Gwadar and Free Zone.
The Chairman CPEC Authority said that an expressway is being constructed which will be used for remittance goods and will provide access to M8 and M10.
Today the PM will also inaugurate three factories in the free zone and the Expo Center and Agricultural Industrial Park in the Free Zone Phase II. The Chinese investors will attend via video link and will talk about their future plans in Pakistan. Ambassadors from seven regional countries will be specially present at the event, to assure PM of investment and cooperation from their respective countries.
According to Bajwa, as many as 46 businesses have been registered in Gwadar Free Zone One, along with 12 factories who have already started production. He said the traffic in Gwadar is increasing all the time and the movement of goods has exceeded 60,000 metric tons.This shows rising investor interest in Gwadar Industrial Zone. He added that the area around the Gwadar Free Zone and Pak-Iran border has become more populated.
Prime Minister Imran Khan is leaving for Gwadar today on a one-day visit where he will inaugurate several projects and review ongoing projects. Sources said that Prime Minister Imran Khan will also sign an agreement to implement the 1.2 million gallon water project, besides laying the foundation stone of the North Free Zone in Gwadar.
Sources further said that Prime Minister Imran Khan will also lay the foundation stone of the project for businesses in Gwadar Port Free Zone and there will also sign an MoU for a solar generator grant from China for South Balochistan.
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