Islamabad (Web Desk/Agencies): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday assured the Chinese investors to further simplify the procedures for the companies working in Pakistan especially under the umbrella of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and implement them in letter and spirit.
Addressing an award ceremony, the premier said that under the CPEC, the two countries are entering into a new era of cooperation, therefore the government is further streamlining and simplifying the procedures to facilitate the Chinese companies and investors working in the country.
PM Shehbaz assured the Chinese investors that the difficult time for them is now over as “We are going to do this under one umbrella as a one window operation and this I mean in letter and spirit…not just words but true implementation”.
He said that the Chinese government and companies had contributed towards Pakistan’s industrial promotion in various areas and their contribution had not only led to creating job opportunities and industrial production but also further strengthened the bilateral economic ties.
Earlier, the prime minister gave awards to top performing Chinese companies working especially in projects under CPEC in Pakistan.
He said recently the two friendly countries had celebrated a decade of CPEC under Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI). He said China had so far invested a valuable $30 billion under CPEC that had really transformed the economic landscape in Pakistan.
“Now we are entering into the second phase of CPEC in which multiple new areas are being incorporated including the green corridor, Information Technology, and Special Economic Zones.
He said the Pakistan government had launched a great initiative “Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC)”, which would consist of all main stakeholders including the federal government, all provincial governments and institutions particularly Pakistan Army led by General Syed Asim Munir.
He said the Army Chief had personally contributed in this programme in a way that it had no parallel in the past as he was totally dedicated to promote the cause of Pakistan and the people who had education and talent but no jobs.
“The programme SIFC will dovetail with the entire CPEC mechanism and will be a propeller in terms of Pakistan’s industrial agri progress,” he added.
Minister for Board of Investment (BoI) Chaudhry Salik Hussain said CPEC had ushered a new era of progress and development in various areas including energy, infrastructure, industrial development, agriculture and science and technology.
He said the mega project would help Pakistan localize the products that were currently being imported to fulfill the country’s needs.
Charge d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan Pang Chunxue said since its launch in 2013, the CPEC being the pilot project of the Chinese Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI) had made remarkable contributions to the socio-economic development of local people of the country.
She said China would always stand firmly with Pakistan and work together to coordinate the country’s development and security areas.