CPEC was intended to make short trade routes from the middle-east to European and African companies by thousands of miles to lesser miles and from 45 days’ time period to 7, 8 days through road route.
China Pakistan economic corridor is a compilation of infrastructure projects that are currently in construction all over the Pakistan. It was originally signed at $46billion and now it has worth of $62billion. It is aimed to make the country’s infrastructure modernize by boosting its economy with help of different energy plants, road infrastructures and special economic zone. CPEC was officially launched in 2015 and became partly operational in 2016, while most of the energy projects were started in later 2017.
Apart from its future fantasies it has started enhancing the economy of the country and already has helped Pakistan conquer its competition globally. The strategy of CPEC is to connect china to the European, middle-east and South African companies which will increase the trading and economy of China and Pakistan both, meanwhile the china’s economy growth rate is 9.5% yearly. Working on BRI, china’s initiative is to increase connectivity within the region and Pakistan will get benefit from Belt and road initiative because of Gwadar port located in province Balochistan.
CPEC covers 2015 to onwards; it needs joint and constant efforts by authorities of countries, government officials, companies and all the social sector of Pakistan and China. While signing this projects both countries decided to agree on the proposition of step by step implementation, scientific planning, agreement through consultation. Both countries agreed on mutual benefit and win-win results, as well as making sure the safety and quality of each thing. The officials, govt and companies with broader and clear perspective of work and collaboration, could work together to promote CPEC with constant progress.
It has importance for the development of the entire region in developing areas such as; trade and commerce, transport infrastructure, logistic hub, peace and development of the region, financial cooperation, industrial sector, financial cooperation, tourism, security and safety of the region.
There are many projects within CPEC projects some of which are complete, near completion and some are about to start which include the development of Gwadar deep sea port, airport, hospitals, schools and other communities. On the other hand, there are ongoing seven projects of infrastructure, 9 special economic zones and 21 energy projects all over Pakistan. Also, improvement in roads & highways, aviation and rail routes are being in process.
The Projects ongoing under CPEC are in rapid progress since 2017 and is expected to be completely operational in near future; it would bring peace and prosperity to two nations while promoting each other economically.
China-Pakistan economic corridor has three routes, western route, eastern route, central route. Three of them pass through KPK to Balochistan. Most convenient and easy route is western route.
Eastern route starts from Gwadar and run parallel to Makran costal to end up at Karachi, and then it passes through the cities of Sindh and connecting it to the region of Punjab to enter in KPK through haripur, abbotabad and Mansehra district. Then it passes through AJK to reach Khunjerab by passing through Gilgit Baltistan. This is the longest route as compare to other routes.
Western route starts from Gwadar and it passes through turbat, khuzdar, kalat, quetta, zhob, Dera ismail Khan, bannu, kohaat, Peshawar, hassanabdal to Abbottabad, from Abbottabad the further route is same of eastern route.
The third route is central route which is from Gwadar, turbat, panjgur, khuzdar to Abbottabad and onward. Govt has adjourned central route and there is no work going on it.
If we talk about 9 special economic zones under CPEC, it includes Rashakai Economic Zone, M-1, Nowshera, Dhabeji Special Economic Zone, Bostan Industrial Zone, Allama iqbal industrial City, Faisalabad, ICT Model Industrial Zone, Islamabad, Industrial park Pakistan Steel Mills Port Qasim, Mirpur Industrial Zone, AJK, Mohmand Marble City and Moqpondass SEZ Gilgit-Baltistan.
They are total of 7 infrastructure project under CPEC which include KKH Phase II (Thakot -Havelian Section) of 118KM of length, Peshawar-karachi Motorway (Multan-sukkur Section) with 392KM of length, Khuzdar-Basima Road N-30 (110 km), Upgradation of D.I.Khan (Yarik) – Zhob, N-50 Phase-1 (210 km), KKH Thakot-Raikot N35 remaining portion (136 Km). Whereas, railway projects include Expansion and reconstruction of existing Line ML-1 and Havelian Dry port (450 M. Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units).
There are total of 23 energy projects which are sub divided into 3 categories, energy priority projects, energy actively promoted projects and potential energy projects. Further priority energy projects include Sahiwal 2x660MW Coal-fired Power Plant, Punjab (1320MW), HUBCO Coal Power Project, and Hub Balochistan (1320MW), Hydro China Dawood Wind Farm (Gharo, Thatta) of 49.5MW and many more which are completed or near completion.
Furthermore, energy actively promoted projects include Kohala Hydel Project, AJK (110MW), chacho 50MW wind project, Western Energy (Pvt.) Ltd. 50MW Wind Power Project (50MW) and azad pattan hydel project, AJK which is 701 MW. There are 2 potential energy projects; Phandar Hydropower Station (80MW) and Gilgit KIU Hydropower (100MW).
