CPEC to take center stage in Pakistan's development strategy: PM

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the testimony to time-tested and deep-rooted Pak-China friendship and it will continue to take pre-eminence in Pakistan's development strategy.

Khan chaired a high-level meeting on Friday in attendance with the country's army chief, ministers of foreign affairs, energy, finance, industries, planning development and reform, chairmen of CPEC Authority, Board of Investment and other officials to review progress on CPEC.

Addressing the meeting, Khan directed the relevant officials to prepare the country's youth to take up new job opportunities created by industrial development and high-quality agriculture farms to be developed under the framework of CPEC.

The prime minister was also briefed about the progress of ongoing projects, in various sectors, under the umbrella of CPEC, and the officials told him that a large number of significant projects have been initiated or completed in the two-and-a half-year tenure of the ruling party.

Special Economic Zones including Rashakai, Dhabeji, Allama Iqbal Industrial City and Gwadar Industrial Zones are attracting foreign and local investors, officials said at the meeting.

Khan expressed his satisfaction on the pace of ongoing projects and reiterated the resolve to complete CPEC at all costs.

CPEC, a corridor linking the Gwadar port in southwestern Pakistan with Kashgar in northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, highlights energy, transport and industrial cooperation.