CPEC to go ahead despite Corona Virus pandemic: Shah Mahmood Qureshi

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CPEC to go ahead despite corona pandemic: Shah Mahmood Qureshi

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March 21, 2020
BEIJING: The China Pakistan Economic Corridor would go ahead despite impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, as two countries are committed to the scheduled construction plan, said Foreign Minister Shah...

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BEIJING: The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would go ahead despite impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, as two countries are committed to the scheduled construction plan, said Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

Talking to the Global Times here, Qureshi said, "I don't think it'll have an impact on the CPEC in the long run. But in the short run, yes, there could be a slight slowdown. As soon as we are over the hump of dealing with the coronavirus, I think we'll be back on track.

"Qureshi's comments came as President Arif Alvi this week visited China to show solidarity between the two "iron brothers" amid fears over the spread of the novel coronavirus worldwide. The CPEC, a flagship project under the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, is a phased mega-project that consists of many projects in different fields including energy and transportation.

Since the projects were launched, speculations from some countries have followed, the latest being that existing projects could be curtailed due to the impact of the virus.

However, Qureshi dismissed those claims, saying all projects were being carried out in phases. In the first phase, projects mainly focus on industrialization preparation work, for example developing infrastructure to meet energy requirements in Pakistan, according to the foreign minister.

Projects under the second phase have already begun, which mainly focus on industrialization, aimed at enhancing industrial production capacity, create jobs, stabilize the economy and address poverty alleviation in Pakistan, Qureshi said.

"I don't think there will be any curtailment. What could happen is that we could review the progress and see the capacity limitations that we have and adjust the base of our work accordingly," he noted.

Qureshi said that cooperation in other fields is also on the agenda during the visit, including "setting up a working group on agriculture to see how China can help Pakistan improve its agricultural productivity, and working together in the fields of science and technology.

"Overall, Qureshi said he is confident the CPEC projects between China and Pakistan - two all-weather strategic partners - will march forward and eventually benefit the whole region.

He said: "There’s a temporary dip, but I think things will revive very quickly. The future of the CPEC is very bright. The future is very promising, not just for Pakistan and China. In fact, the entire region stands to benefit from this project."

 

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First batch of Chinese CPEC workers returning to Pakistan since virus outbreak

By rameez khan
Mar.19,2020

Engineers and other staff would be quarantined for 14 days before being sent to construction sites, say officials

LAHORE: As many as 145 Chinese engineers and other staff members working on several China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects will arrive in Pakistan on Friday since the outbreak of novel coronavirus, The Express Tribune has learnt.

To ensure continuity of under construction CPEC projects, the first-batch consisting of engineers and top management staff members deputed on hydro power and road construction projects, which is widely believed to be the origin city of COVID-19, will land in Islamabad tomorrow morning (Friday), according to Chinese state-owned construction and engineering company, Gezhouba.

To ensure their safety, an official of the company said that the workers will be flown via charter plane and of those, 145 staffers of the company had been kept in isolation for 52 days to ensure none of them is infected.

The officials also said that as part of precautionary measures four houses in Islamabad F-6 area have been converted into isolation centres where “these engineers and staffers would be kept for 12 to 14 days before they will be sent to their project sites”.

Furthermore, the officials said the company has developed their in house medical facility for safety of their staffers in Pakistan.

Gezhouba Group Company is a Wahun-based firm, which was among the worst coronavirus hit area, has 11,000 Chinese nationals working for CPEC projects in Pakistan.

Punjab reports 45 new coronavirus cases as Pakistan’s tally jumps to 382

Wuhan, locked down since Jan 23, is currently the only city in Hubei province still designated “high-risk” and subject to strict travel bans, even as restrictions across the rest of the country have loosened in recent weeks.

Thousands of Chinese working on CPEC projects had gone to their homeland last year to celebrate their festival known as spring break earlier this year and could not return to Pakistan due to coronavirus outbreak in China.


According to the officials, the Chinese workers are returning to Pakistan for the smooth continuation of CPEC projects and to show solidarity with the brotherly state.

The return of workers is also a reciprocation of recent visit of President Dr Arif Alvi to Beijing where he met his Chinese counterpart and the country’s top leadership.

China has successfully managed to contain coronavirus and life in the country would soon be returning to normalcy, they added.

The Wuhan city relaxed quarantine rules slightly on Thursday, allowing people to walk in their compounds rather than staying confined to living quarters, state-run CCTV reported.

If no new case is reported for 14 consecutive days, the lockdown could gradually be lifted, the China Daily newspaper said, citing an epidemiologist.

Despite several attempts, media officials of the CPEC authority were not available for the comments.

 

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PM Imran Khan
wants resumption of construction, CPEC work

Syed Irfan RazaUpdated April 03, 2020
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Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed his satisfaction over the government's efforts in combatting Covid-19. — Photo courtesy PM Imran Khan Facebook/File
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday ordered a relief package specifically for the construction industry and directed resumption of all China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) related infrastructure and energy projects.

The package for construction industry will be unveiled today (Friday).





The premier also directed formation of a Codal Research Committee (CRC) for devising an action plan that would allow the centre and provinces to jointly deal with Covid-19’s brunt on the country’s economy.

The decisions were taken in two separate meetings held to assess the impact of the pandemic on economy and common man.

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During a meeting, Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar apprised the prime minister about steps being taken for better coordination between provinces and the centre to combat Covid-19, revival of construction industry, CPEC projects and food security.

Another relief package to be announced today

“The relief package will also support the uplift of other industries allied with the construction sector,” PM Khan said.

He added that the construction of road infrastructure will not pose any danger regarding spread of coronavirus. The PM further said a Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) was being devised about how the construction industry and its related sectors will work the during lockdown. “SOPs will also be made for the safety of the workers,” he added.

The primer said the Ministry of Commerce has compiled a list of industries which will operate during countrywide lockdown.

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In a separate event, PM distributed tax refund cheques to businessmen. He said these were part of the relief his government is giving to keep industry afloat.

A press release issued by the Prime Minister Office (PMO), quoted the PM as saying: “A Codal Research Committee (CRC) should be formed to give suggestions to the National Coordination Committee in its next meeting regarding different sectors and how these could perform during prevailing lockdown situation.”

The prime minister expressed satisfaction over the government’s arrangements to combat Covid-19.

Chairing a meeting on energy, he directed the ministry concerned to accelerate reforms in the energy sector by removing systemic hurdles and effectively utilising the limited resources for ensuring relief to the common man.

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Minister for Energy Omar Ayub, Finance Adviser Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Commerce Adviser Abdul Razak Dawood, Special Assistant to the PM on Petroleum Nadeem Babar and senior officers of ministries attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2020

 

[JafarQureshi]

SMQ is the best.

 

[W.11]

because china said so

regards