Islamabad: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, chaired a high-level progress review meeting on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Islamabad on Tuesday. The session focused on advancing ongoing projects, addressing delays, and enhancing bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and China.

The meeting was attended by senior representatives from several ministries, including Foreign Affairs, Interior, Communications, and Economic Affairs, among others. Officials from the Board of Investment, the Planning Commission, and other federal and provincial institutions were also present.

A significant portion of the meeting centered on the forthcoming visit of a Pakistani delegation to China in April 2025. Led by the Chairman of the National Highway Authority, the delegation aims to finalize terms for implementing the Karakoram Highway project. Minister Iqbal emphasized the strategic importance of this project, particularly concerning the Diamet Basha Dam construction.

Discussions also covered agricultural cooperation, with the fourth meeting of the Joint Working Group scheduled for April 22, 2025, in Beijing. The Ministry of Food and Security announced that 300 Pakistani agriculture experts would travel to China on April 15, 2025, for training. The Minister instructed the immediate distribution of agricultural tools delivered under a CPEC grant to expedite progress.

Minister Iqbal directed urgent actions to operationalize a desalination plant in Gwadar and instructed the Ministry of Power to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to the city during summer.

On the development of CPEC Special Economic Zones, the Minister highlighted the need for a competitive tariff regime and a targeted marketing strategy to attract foreign industries to relocate to Pakistan.

The meeting was informed of upcoming key sessions of Joint Working Groups focused on Industrial Cooperation, Gwadar, and the Long-Term Plan, all scheduled for April.

Minister Iqbal reaffirmed the government’s commitment to bolstering the strategic partnership between Pakistan and China through the effective execution of CPEC projects, which are pivotal to Pakistan’s economic growth.